Experiment
by fire90
Summary: Second story! Thanks to the great MartaH&Conly, with kiara588 this time, for having written the original fic in Italian! House and Cameron...and a new guy for Cameron...between highs and lows, what do you think will happen?
1. Chapter 1

_Hello everyone =) This is my second story translated from Italian into English. A big big big thank you to **MartaH&Conly** for giving me the opportunity to translate her story, and to **kiara588** =)_

_Hope you'll like it =)_

**Chapter 1**

House stepped nervously into the hallway of his department. He looked into the conference room and noticed that all his team was there yet: Foreman reading a file; Chase doing some stupid crossword; Cameron making some cofee.

'_Good_' he thought.

He limped quickly to Wilson's office without being seen. Or so he hoped.

How was it possible? She had a radar?

Cameron had turned towards the hallway and she had noticed him. Well actually, during her three years there she had memorized his schedule. Because, despite what he said, he had very strong routines. Some example? Coffee, red mug, crayons, Vicodin.

Cameron left the conference room and she saw him quickening his pace.

"House! House! Stop!" she yelled.

"No! Don't worry, I'm not going to stop because you were too pushy last night, I told you that I want to stay on top!" he yelled back.

Cameron reached him and stopped him, her face unusually serious.

"Well, another proof that we couldn't work together".

House raised an eyebrow. Since when she had stopped to take passively his jokes and had begun to respond in kind?

"Edward Sullivan, five years old..." she started.

"Make me" he challenged her.

House entered Wilson's office and leaned against the door, leaving her outside. House stared at his friend who was shaking his head.

"How long you don't go to the clinic?" Wilson asked calmly.

"Cameron and her phobia to see me naked" House avoided his question.

"Her phobia or yours?" Wilson said smirking.

House glared at him, forcing him to look down to the folders on his desk but smirking anyway.

"I've lost my Vicodin".

"Since when losing and finishing have become synonymous?" Wilson wondered thoughtfully.

"I've not finished it, I've lost it. This morning it wasn't where I had left the night before" he explained.

Wilson kept signing his papers without bothering to look at him.

"You know, it's a bad sign If you don't realize that you finished your pills".

House tapped his cane on the floor nervously "I have not finished it! I've lost it! Damn it!" he almost yelled.

Wilson looked up and stared at him calmly.

_'At this rate, it will end that I'm going to do couples therapy with him and not with my wife'_ Wilson thought.

"Give me a prescription" House said quieter.

"No. You know that Cameron was looking for you for a patient? Go to do your work" he said seriously.

"She always looks for me. I've really lost it!" he tried again.

"Try asking whoever was in bed with you if she saw it this morning. Oops, sorry, I know that it costs too much make them staying until the morning after" Wilson said bitterly.

House turned to the door nervously "You're a heartless monster. Me without Vicodin is like-" he started.

"Bugs Bunny without carrots?" Wilson asked amused.

House glared at him and Wilson sighed deeply.

"The amount of vicodin that is made available to you from Cuddy, it is a fair amount, proportionate to your pain. If you can't handle the dose that she is giving to you within a week, it's your problem " Wilson said calmly while he moved nervously his foot under the desk.

House stared at him, frustrated because he had heard the same words from Cuddy for three weekst, since she had decided without consulting him that the best thing for him was to estabilish a daily dose, because he had crossed the line with the story of the forged signatures of Wilson.

_'Better for whom?'_ House thought.

"Ok, it's nice to see how much equity exists among us. You'll pay for this, you bastard" he threatened him and went out.

* * *

><p>House left Wilson's office, finding Cameron outside staring at him.<p>

"Someone might see it as a mania, not that I mind being followed by a woman" he winked and limped away. She followed him.

"You told me to force you" she started.

"And what are you going to do? Breathing down my neck?" he smirked amused, going to his office.

"House! What are you doing?" Cuddy said from behind him.

He turned to Cameron and saw her with her hands on hips, smiling satisfied. Cuddy approached them, glaring at House.

"You've called the cavalry. You were afraid of not being able to do it alone?" he smirked.

"Since when you decline the cases that I ask you to take?".

"Since you've hired me, when Polli Anna put the patches to her dolls".

Cuddy and Cameron rolled their eyes and he stared at them in amazement.

"Cuddy please no! You can't make her your own miniature. I chose her because she was anything like you!" he whined.

They stared at him annoyed.

"You're so hostile this morning. So it's true that If you stay together you have your cycle at the same time?" House aske curiously.

"Edward Sullivan is-" Cuddy ignored him.

"Let me guess ... mmm ... a donor? No no wait, let me try again, a guy who promised you a favor when he woke up in your bed? I'm right?" he smirked.

"He is five years old" Cameron cut in.

House shrugged in reply "I'm not here to judge".

"Of course House..." Cuddy replied annoyed.

"It's unfair, I'm at a disadvantage. We are one against two, four considered your boobs too".

"Edward Sullivan Jr. is the son of Edward Sullivan Sr" Cuddy tried again.

House stared at her annoyed, shaking his head.

"Have you ever read a newspaper?" Cuddy asked shocked.

"I read only the comic pages and gossip. So unless he's the new flirt of JLo no, I don't know anything".

Cuddy closed her eyes, sighing.

"Sullivan is one of the most important businessmen of the United States. He plays golf with the Minister of Economy".

"Good for him, but my swing is no longer what it once was, I can't help you" and he limped away towards his office.

"The kid has been seriously ill for over a year. He was treated by the best specialists in the last six months and he has been diagnosed with four different diseases" Cuddy said, following him.

"Then they were all idiots" House answered.

"The last diagnosis was of Myelin Leukemia" Cameron told him.

He entered his office and then went to the coffee machine.

"I think that he's not so interesting" House snorted.

Cameron was shocked while Foreman shook his head and Chase looked at her smirking, biting his pencil.

"The diagnosis of Leukemia has made by Berkley from New York" Cuddy added.

House looked up and then grabbed the file from Cameron's hands. He went to his office and threw it on a chair before saying "Do all the tests again. If Berkley had this case, we can't trust his opinion at all" he closed the door and turned on his stereo.

"He's changed his mind?" Chase asked confused.

"Helen Berkley has called him_ 'the caricature of the diagnostician with a cane'_" Cuddy said thoughtfully.

"Why?" Chase asked.

"Oh, I don't know, she just told me this since the conference of four years ago. What House did for her to say it...I don't know" Cuddy smirked and went away.

"He will make it a personal matter" Foreman snorted.

_TBC..._


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks! =)_

**Chapter 2**

House was in his office, the music of A Clockwork Orange's _'Hymn to joy'_ filled the room, so that even Wilson could hear it from his office.

His team entered the conference room, staring at him in the other room: legs on the desk and cane rolling slowly in his hand.

"One of these days he'll become deaf" Foreman snorted.

"It's disturbing as combination..." Chase said disgusted.

"What? House and Beethoven?" Foreman asked.

"A Clockwork Orange and House" Chase explained.

Foreman and Cameron looked at him puzzled, Chase felt their eyes on him.

"Come on! He has already the cane, If you imagine him with a cylinder and the fake eyelashes around the right eye...He's the same!".

"He is not the same" Cameron smirked.

Foreman grinned amused "Cameron is right: he has the Vicodin, they had milk".

Cameron looked at him annoyed as Chase and Foreman chuckled.

"Ok, Cameron will do it, she's good at these things" Chase sighed after a while.

"No way! I brought him the case, you have both the vocal cords functioning, sort it out yourself!" she argued.

Chase saw House tormenting his leg.

"I'll do the clinic for you" Chase offered her.

Cameron stood up fuming.

_'Why it always has to be me in these situations? As If it was easier for me'_ she thought.

Foreman smiled and put his arms around the soulders of Cameron and Chase, heading them towards the office of House.

"Guys, he'd kill us one at a time. Unity is strength, so If we'll go together inside, he can't ask anyone for the Vicodin" Foreman explained.

Second movement, he was conducting an imaginary orchestra and choir.

Foreman pushed them toward the door, following them.

House, who was looking through his drawers now, looked up at them.

"Ok Cameron, I won't fire you but tell me where you put my Vicodin. I know that you need it to find the courage to sleep with Chase, but I've chronic pains" he said immediately.

Cameron got nervous but tried not to show it but when it came to her, those blue eyes noticed everything.

"Sullivan has arrived" she said briefly.

House reached out, looking into his backpack.

His team looked at each other and then he looked at them.

"Tests?".

"We haven't done them" Foreman said slowly.

"Why are you here then?".

"The problem is that we...can't" Chase tried to explain.

"I know, It's so hard to draw blood from a kid. I still can't understand how the nurses can do it" he faked amazement.

"He can't stay still not even for a second. We tried everything" Foreman snorted.

"But a shot in the head, I guess" House turned to Cameron "And you? Not even my fairy with gold hands has been able to come closer to the infant?" he pouted.

"I was in the clinic, they _forced_ me to come here" she glared at them.

House stood up grinning. He passed almost touching her, he wanted to see If she was serious at doing the cold bitch with him...No, she wasn't serious since she avoided any contact with him.

"What about Mom and Dad?" House asked.

"I think that they are not very present in his life. The father has not seen him yet and the mother has just made things worse" Foreman explained.

House went out and headed to his patient's room, followed by his team.

"Probably he was raised by his nanny like Chase".

"But I-" Chase started.

"Oh hey, there's nothing wrong, it explains your repressed homosexuality".

House stopped in front of the patient's door. The child was giving a hard time to two nurses who were trying to put the IV in his arm. House grinned amused.

"He's like all the rich spoiled brats".

The boy threw all his pillows to the nurses.

"Or like all the alone children...scared, who wouldn't be in his place? In a hospital bed, surrounded by strangers and no one to comfort him" Cameron said thoughtfully.

House looked at her stunned as she observed the boy through the glass walls. He smirked and took her by the sleeve of her whitecoat. She was taken aback, from time to time he did these unexpected gestures...

"Ok, since your useless bad and ugly coworkers didn't work, we'll try with the good and the beautiful while the two of you go to mommy and make her tell you everything" House ordered.

House entered the room while the kid kept squirming. House hadn't still left her sleeve and he motioned to the nurses to go out.

Edward Jr. was one of those children that you see in advertising, with curly blond hair and blue eyes. If it hadn't been for his pale skin, he would have seemed a healthy child. But even If he was sick, he didn't stay still in bed, screaming like a madman.

House hit loudly the bed with his cane and the boy spun around frightened.

"Be careful! You've to be very careful Dim If you want to stay alive!" House said theatrically.

Edward stared at House and Cameron looked at House astonished.

He left her sleeve and spoke in her ear, brushing her skin "I knew that watching A Clockwork Orange endleslly would be useful sooner or later" he muttered.

Cameron stared at him with wide eyes and then turned to the child, smiling sweetly immediately. He had brought her there for a reason, he picked up a pillow from the floor and approaced the bed. They were staring at her, but with different reasons.

"Hi Edward" Cameron started.

She went to him to fix his pillow and the kid initially moved far away from her, but when she moved away a blond curl from his forehead with a gesture full of affection, he suddenly calmed down. He let her fix his IV while he didn't take his eyes off her. Cameron took a syringe and took a sample of his blood, she smiled when he didn't even flinch.

"All done, it was not so bad right?" she asked.

Edward smiled and shook his head,

House, who had stayed on the sidelines until then, approached the bed again.

She turned to him.

"Now that Beelzebub has calmed down, do all the tests, MRI included" House ordered.

She nodded as he left the room going to his office. He entered and rested his forehead against the glass door. He rubbed his face frustrated.

_'Why the hell I have this headache?'_ he thought.

When she had made that gesture to the child?

But above all, why his lips'd not stop throbbing?

_TBC..._


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

House was at his desk, studying the test results. Suddenly, he remembered the gesture of Cameron to the patient, as he stared at her hands caressing his hair, thinking of _'I wonder what is the feeling of her fingers through my hair...'_ and right after that he had stared at her lips, thinking even then about the previous question.

"I am pathetic" House muttered, shaking his head.

"I've always said it" Wilson said from the door.

House looked up and saw Wilson leaned against the doorway with an amused smile on his lips.

"What do you want?" House snorted.

"You end up in these conditions every time you think about how many pills you swallow during the day?".

"I wasn't thinking about that..." House said annoyed and then closed his eyes, remembering _that_ scene again.

_'I'm going crazy...'_ he thought.

Wilson sat down, looking puzzled at his friend.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

Wilson had a sort feeling that wasn't so weird after all. House tried to avoid him, fixing some papers on his desk.

"About my patient, the son of the billionaire" House answered.

"And you are pathetic because he has more money than you, despite being a child, or the fact that you're consumed by envy because your colleague in New York was right?" Wilson teased him.

"None of that, go back to your walking dead" House said annoyed.

House stood nervously and Wilson gave up, knowing that pressing him at that time wouldn't lead to anything good. House went to the conference room, his leg was killing him slowly.

_'What a beautiful day'_ he thought bitterly.

"Blood tests are normal, Foreman and Cameron are doing the MRI" Chase reported.

"Ok, and the mother?" he asked, rubbing his temples.

"It all started with a series of faints, he has the pressure to minimum, I don't think it's relevant".

House gritted his teeth, trying not to think about his leg, focusing on what Chase had said.

"Good".

"What do you think should we do now?" Chase asked.

_'A shot of morphine into my carotid will be a good start'_ House thought.

House didn't answer, going out quickly as Chase followed him.

"House? Where are you going?".

House entered the MRI room where only Foreman was staring at the scans on the screen.

"Where's Cameron?" House asked.

"She's letting the child out of the MRI" Foreman answered.

"There are nurses paid for that" House said annoyed.

Foreman shook his head, smirking "He doesn't want to be touched by anyone except Cameron".

House rolled his eyes, irritated "Perfect. How are the scans?".

"Whatever he has, it's not a neurological problem" Foreman said thoughtfully.

"When she has finished playing the caring mother, meet me downstairs" House ordered and then went away.

Foreman and Chase looked at each other.

"Why downstairs?" Foreman asked, confused.

* * *

><p>The team went down in silence, lost in their thoughts. They arrived in the lobby and saw House sitting in the waiting room wearing his leather jacket and with his backpack on his lap.<p>

When he saw them, he took off his iPod headphones.

"Well well, we'll take the car of Foreman" House said, smirking.

House gave the keys to the neurologist and they looked at each other without realizing that House was already at the front door of the hospital.

"Where are we going?" Cameron asked.

"I'm bringing you out for lunch, happy? Now, let's go" he said annoyed.

House went out from the hospital, followed by his team.

"Can you please stop and tell us what are you doing?" Foreman said exasperated.

"I told you, we're going out for lunch. I can't focus with an empty stomach. Now, do you want to open the car or not? We're freezing here!".

Foreman opened the car resignedly and House sat on the passenger side.

The team stared at him, nobody really believed the story of the lunch but they got in resigned.

"Why we're taking my car?" Foreman asked after a while.

"Well, I made a careful valuation of which of your three cars is more comfortable, then I checked out the tank and your car is the winner. You idiot! Your car was the closest to the exit. Now, go!" House said annoyed.

* * *

><p>Foreman was driving following the directions of House, occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror where Chase and Cameron looked more upset than him.<p>

"Ok, stop there" House said after a while.

Cameron recognized the place as he got out from the car.

"We are at your apartment?".

"Yeah, I forgot my wallet".

House opened the door and then turned around, seeing their incredulous stares.

"You can't come in, so Chase don't move and don't pee on the wall" House smirked and entered his apartment, leaving the door open.

After 15 minutes he was still inside and Chase sat on the ground, playing with his cell; Foreman stared in front of him, bored; Cameron was with her arms crossed, visibly irritated.

"We have a child dying and we're sitting here doing nothing and giving him plenty of rope!" she whined.

Chase and Foreman looked at her without moving in any way.

"He's not dying! You're still there?" House yelled from his apartment.

"Yes!" Chase and Foreman yelled back.

They heard some strange noises coming from his apartment, things thrown everywhere probably.

"If you had to go home why you have dragged us here?" Cameron yelled to him.

"I didn't want to pay the cab!" House answered.

"You have a bike, use it!" she argued.

"I'm out of gas!".

Cameron turned to his coworkers who seemed more tired than bored "It's absurd" she said finally.

She entered the apartment with the intent to drag him out from there but when her brain sent the message _'You're in the apartment of House!'_ she stopped abruptly, observing his living room. She had found herself thinking of him there more than once. She studied the room around her, her attention was inevitably captured by his piano, or rather the idea of him playing in the evening, relieving the tension on those keys, a sort of antistress made by eighty-eight white keys. It was the only thing that stood strongly out within that chaos: the coffee table was full of papers, CDs, two empty bottles and many other things. The couch seemed to be abandoned, it had a cover on its back and a magazine here and there. The whole room was in darkness because of the closed curtains, only a few rays of sunlight penetrated into the room. It was dark but not gloomy as he was: untreated, not well defined, something sketched that the owner had forgotten to complete. Her eyes ended up on his bedroom, the bed was unmade, his clothes laid abandoned here and there on the ground and on the bed.

"What are you doing here?" House said suddenly, emerging from a room on the right, throwing two empty phials of Vicodin in the trash near the piano.

Cameron observed his movements and understood almost everything.

"Have you finished the Vicodin?" she asked.

"I haven't finished it, I lost it" he corrected her.

"And you think to find it messing up your apartment?" she smirked.

"Tritter did it, why I'd fail?" he asked.

Cameron shook his head, smiling as she took a step toward him. He considered that a further invasion of his territory and she stopped again, understanding.

"Try to remember the last place where you saw it" she tried to help him.

House pretended to be thoughtful "Hmm...of course! In my hand!" he looked at his hands "Oh no, it's not here!" he mocked her.

Cameron sighed deeply, looking away from him.

"Ok whatever, but I won't spend my lunch break here, therefore you have to listen to me" she almost ordered.

"Yes my captain".

"Try to think about what you did last night when you came back from work".

"Let's see, If the Alzheimer's is not here yet...oh yes! I came back, I threw the helmet there and then...Nope, I can't tell you".

Cameron looked at him confused "Why not?".

"Because you're brown and to keep thinking about what I did I'd need a blonde" he smirked.

Cameron arched an eyebrow as he grinned amused.

"I'm trying to give you a hand and you act like that? You know what? Go to hell!" she said fuming.

"Do you really think that I'll let you do the Freud of the situation with me?".

Cameron went out without turning. House looked around, trying to remember where the hell he had left that phial. Nothing, total emptiness. Fuck 'em all.

House went out and hit the wall right over the head of Chase who was yawning.

"Come on, let's go! If the child dies, the Red Cross will sue us!" he said annoyed.

House got in the car, glancing in the rearview mirror where a nervous Cameron glared at him.

_TBC..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

House was in Wilson's office, eating all the fruit in his plate while he stared out the window, completely absorbed.

"You're quiet" Wilson said, staring at him.

"You're a doctor" House answered without looking at him.

"And?".

"Oh sorry, I thought we were stating the obvious" House snorted.

Wilson shook his head, giving up to understand him. He focused again on his cold rice, well, half cold rice now thanks to House...

"I was thinking..." House started after a while.

"You do it often" Wilson muttered smartly.

House glared at him "I was thinking, who knows how is to kiss Cameron?".

Wilson looked at him dumbfounded, mouth open and hand with the spoon still in the air. He almost choked with rice and swallowed it quickly. House didn't change his expression.

"What?".

"I said, who knows how is to kiss Cameron" he repeated, half annoyed.

"Cameron as in your immunologist?" Wilson asked still confused.

House turned and looked at him with a calm expression.

"Do you know another Cameron? I don't think she has sisters".

"Let me understand, you're wondering how could be kissing Allison Cameron?".

"Yes, I think. I was wondering...Yes, that".

Wilson stared at him astonished, not believing his ears. There could be only two explanations: or he was completely high or he was dying. House was still eating his fish while Wilson was getting nervous.

"Hi, I'm James Wilson and you have never met Gregory House? You seem to look a lot like him!".

House looked at him frowning "What's your problem?".

"What's your problem! I'm sorry, you're here eating my fish, saying that you want to kiss Cameron! I have every right to be upset!" Wilson said exasperated.

"I didn't say that I want to kiss her, I just said that I was wondering how could be kissing her" he corrected Wilson.

"What's the difference? The two things are closely related, you know!".

House put his half peach on the desk, stretching in his chair.

"No, I don't think so. It's like when you're at the table and you've to choose the dessert, there is the chocolate pudding but also the papaya pudding".

"I've never seen a papaya pudding" Wilson said thoughtfully.

"Let me finish! You know perfectly well the taste of the chocolate pudding; but then there's the papaya pudding, you're curious of its taste...but in the end, you always get the chocolate pudding" he explained.

Wilson rolled his eyes, trying to follow his explanation.

"Wait, so Cameron is the papaya pudding?" Wilson asked hesitantly.

"Exactly".

"And who is the chocolate pudding?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know, it's not that I have all the answers, otherwise I'd be dressed like Elvis in Las Vegas".

"And you woke up this morning, wondering_ 'who knows how is kissing my immunologist'_!".

"It's not like that and I didn't say that I've thought about it since this morning" House got up, heading for the door while Wilson was still processing.

"Hey, wait a second! Why you can't take the papaya pudding for once?".

"But If I don't even buy anything, I always steal your lunch!" he said annoyed.

"I have to kiss her first to tell you how it is?" Wilson teased him.

House thought for a moment, and the fact that he was thinking about it worried Wilson.

"No, I can ask Chase" House went out and Wilson stared at the door, astonished.

* * *

><p>House was tapping his cane on the glass table while Foreman re-read the medical reports. Chase entered the room, coming back from the surgery.<p>

"We've to exclude tumors, they'd see them in a year" House said, thoughtfully.

Chase sat down and read the symptoms on the board, House stared at him. Chase noticed it and turned slowly to him.

"I know I'll regret having asked, but why are you staring at me?".

"I've a question for scientific purposes" House started.

Chase nodded hesitantly.

"On a scale of one to ten...no, no, forget it" House shook his head and continued to tap his cane on the table while his two assistants looked at him confused "Ok, let's recap everything" House said finally. He stood up, took a marker but then stopped abruptly "Where is?" House asked annoyed.

"I think that you're talking about Cameron. She is with the kid" Foreman answered.

House left his marker and took the cane, snorting "She is stubborn!" he went out quickly.

* * *

><p>"I'd love to know what's your problem?" House exclaimed, enetering the room.<p>

Cameron turned from the IV that she was checking when she heard the door open,

"Don't yell or you'll wake him" she whispered.

"I don't give a damn if I wake him up! What are you doing here? You are not his nanny! You're my immunologist and you need to stay where I tell you to stay! Am I clear?" he almost yelled.

Edward woke up looking scared. An angry House stared at him "Now you're quiet!".

"Shut up House! You're scaring him!" she cut in.

House went to her quickly "You can't run to wipe the nose to the patients! If you wanted to do this, you had to be a nurse not a doctor!" he said seriously.

"Being a doctor doesn't preclude some kind of contact with the patients!" she argued.

"Being my immunologist yes!" he shouted.

"I'm not yours!" she shouted back,

"But you work for me!".

"I still have a brain and the capacity for discernment! Beyond what you think, I'm not an ornament of your study!" she glared at him.

"That's for sure! My chair has never given me all this trouble!".

Edward began to breathe heavily and both turned to him. He was cyanotic.

"Panic attack" House muttered.

Cameron felt useless in the next minutes while she tried to give air to the lungs of Edward. The room filled quickly with nurses. Foreman and Chase arrived shortly after. House stood on the sidelines, watching.

"Stop!" House yelled after a while.

"No, we must continue to ventilate, otherwise he-" Chase answered astonished.

House stared at the lifeless body of the child "It's not a panic attack, he's having a heart attack".

After administering some heparin, everything returned to normal. Cameron kept staring angrily at House, who now couldn't take his eyes off from her red lips.

"Don't look at me like that! I'm not the one who caused the heart attack. I want to see his heart" House left the room, going to his office.

It's the abstinence, no doubt.

* * *

><p>He saw them entering the conference room, he stood up from his chair rubbing his leg. He went to the conference room but then he felt a painful cramp in his leg and he lost his balance.<p>

"It hurts?" Cameron asked immediately.

"What? You're tired of the the child yet and you're already going back to old habits?" House said breathlessly.

This time, Chase and Foreman glared at him too. House dismissed them and tried to walk again.

"So! Give me his heart!".

Foreman showed the scintigraphy to House and his expression suddenly changed.

"Ok who is this scan for? You did it on someone else so that the young immunologist didn't mourn over the kid?".

"Edward Sullivan Jr." Foreman smirked.

"It's not possible, he had a big heart attack. This can't be his heart" House said confused.

"We were all there, this is his heart" Chase confirmed.

House continued to stare at the scintigraphy, getting nervous.

"This heart is healthy! It is impossible that it has just had a heart attack" he stared at the scans, tapping his thumb on his lip "We've to provoke him another" he said after a while.

"Are you crazy? He's almost died" she looked at him shocked.

"I know that he was dying but this time we'll prevent it. What was the cause of everything?".

Cameron looked at him annoyed but he didn't take his eyes off from the scans.

"You're completely incapable of normal relations with people" Cameron muttered seriously.

"Well, nothing new" House shrugged and went out. The team stared at him and then they followed him.

"Are you serious?" Foreman asked.

"His heart doesn't react in the right way so you will do a biopsy during the seizure" House explained.

"We can't! It's dangerous, he's a child" Chase reasoned.

"It's crazy!" Cameron cut in.

House arrived in front of his patient room but Cameron stood in front him, putting her hands on his shoulder. House grinned amused.

"The only different thing since the last time you did it, it's that I haven't the gown of the patient and the IV".

Cameron looked at him confused "What?".

"Oh, sorry, it was my hallucination. I think that you'd like the robot part. Move" he finished seriously.

"No!" she didn't move.

House took her hands off from his shoulders, trying to enter the room but another hand pulled him back.

"House come on, you can't provoke him another heart attack" Foreman told him seriously.

"Not you too!".

"Foreman is right, his heart is very weak" Chase cut in.

"Perfect, even Yogi and Booboo are against me! You're doing a peaceful resistance! Move away Mahatma Gandhi!" he said looking at Cameron.

"What's happening here? I heard your shouts from the other end of the floor!" Cuddy said, coming closer to them.

Cuddy stared at them, Cameron in front of the door, Foreman and Chase next to her, stopping House.

"Tell them to move away or you'll have to deal with me while I do the interviews again!" House said.

Cuddy turned to Cameron "What's happening?".

"Why are you asking her? I'm the boss!" House whined.

"Shut up House!" Cuddy glared at him.

"He wants to provoke another heart attack to Edward" Cameron explained.

Cuddy looked at him astonished.

"I want to do it for him, not for my personal amusement. I have to see the heart functioning under stress, and by the way it has been done on pigs" House tried to explain.

"You want to do a biopsy while he's having a heart attack? He's not a pig!" Cuddy tried to stay calm.

"I know, but the pigs are similar to us for many things, especially for the cardiovascular system. There's been a positive result in 60-70% of cases and then, I didn't see anything in the scintigraphy".

"You are completely out of your mind! You have to stay away from this kid if you don't want to be radiated!" Cuddy threatened him.

House shrugged off the hands of Chase and Foreman "Fine! Do wathever you want! But don't you expect to see me at the clinic today!" House walked away frustrated.

Cuddy turned to his team.

"Cameron, you stay with the kid; you two make sure that he won't paragliding from the roof to carry out his plan" Cuddy ordered.

House, who had hidden behind a column in the hope to see them leave, walked away fuming.

_TBC..._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Foreman and Chase were watching House puffing, bored.

"Where is she?" he asked after a while.

"With the child" Foreman answered.

House stood up and Foreman and Chase stopped him. He grinned and limped away through his office.

"I am a prisoner under escort!" he yelled to them.

A nurse turned to him while Chase and Foreman shook their heads, following him.

* * *

><p>House entered the child's room as she was fixing his covers. He sat in a corner, pulling out his Psp.<p>

"Ok! Seems like we have to do the differential here".

"Are you kidding?" Foreman asked.

"No. Ok, I'd opt to put him under stress until he has another heart attack".

"That it's what you wanted to do before, but you've said it more nicely this time" Chase added.

"Ah...You grow up so fast, it seems like yesterday when you stabbed me in the back for your job" House smirked.

Cameron wasn't listening to them, she was so focused on Edward who threw his arms around her neck. That gesture made House nervous.

"Hey, is it too much to ask you to join us in the discussion?" House asked her.

Cameron turned to him, holding Edward to her.

"I've to repeat myself? Ok, I think it's a highly risky procedure and that-".

Edward clenched his arms around her neck, she smiled when he kissed her cheek. House rolled his eyes, putting out his tongue. Chase and Foreman smiled amused.

"But honey? You can't do that! You don't have to make him understand that we don't love him any more, you know how puberty is difficult, especially when you have a lot of doubts about sexuality like Chase".

Cameron glared at him. Edward was still all over her and he didn't like that situation.

"Ok, enough! Listen kid, how do you want the probe? Rectal or oral?" House asked.

"House!" his team said immediately.

"Ohhh how cute you're when you speak in sync! I can't work in this way. Leave the clingy monster here and leave for the House cave!".

House left the room, followed by Foreman and Chase.

Cameron left Edward on the bed.

"See you later, baby" she smiled sweetly.

"Bye bye" he waved happily.

* * *

><p>Cameron entered the conference room, Foreman and Chase were there yet. House came out from his office with a book in hand.<p>

"Well, we'll go on with what we have. One of you go to do a lumbar puncture, the other an ECG; instead you go down at the clinic" he ordered.

Cameron looked at him puzzled "You're not on duty at the clinic today" Cameron argued.

"Do you know by heart all my schedules?" he asked.

"Yes, since I have to plan my life outside these walls, I've to depend on when you make me do your turn, so I know when I can get out" she explained.

"And with whom do you go out?" he asked nonchalantly.

"It's none of your business" she smirked.

"Good, so go downstairs, Cuddy is taking revenge with extra shifts because of the kid" he snorted.

Cameron left, followed by his coworkers.

House returned to his office. His team stopped and turned to make sure that he was there for real before going away.

* * *

><p>Cameron arrived at the clinic as Cuddy stepped in the lobby.<p>

"House has done something?" Cuddy asked, smiling.

"No, he's ok, I'm here to do his extra turn" she smiled, sighing.

"But I haven't given him any extra turn" Cuddy said slowly.

The two women looked at each other, thinking the same thing.

"Edward!" Cameron muttered.

Cameron and Cuddy rushed down the stairs bumping into Foreman and Chase.

"Edward is not on the list for an ECG" Foreman told them.

"He's a dead man" Cuddy muttered angrily.

They ran towards the room of Edward. When they arrive, Foreman opened the door. House was still struggling with the IV while Edward was having a heart attack.

Cameron rushed to him who pushed her away.

"Don't you dare! Get out of my way!" he yelled.

"You're killing him!" she yelled back.

"Shut up! Take her away!" he ordered to Foreman and Chase.

Foreman rushed to them and pushed House away, who looked at him stunned.

"You too, Brutus!".

"I'm not moving!" Foreman argued seriously.

House tried to get close again but Foreman stopped him. Fighting against someone like Foreman could be complicated for a cripple.

"Charge to 200!" Chase yelled.

House had been relegated to a corner under the control of Foreman as Cameron and Chase tried to intubate Edward. He went out angrily and Cuddy followed him.

"Do you realize that he could die!" she yelled.

He turned to her, if there was one thing that he couldn't stand, among many others, but this was the first on the list, it was when someone told him how to do his job, because on that, he never had hesitations or concerns.

"You are a bunch of incompetent, you don't realize that If you stop me, he dies however! But no! We mustn't listen to House! He is only a crazy doctor who has weird ideas, let alone If he wants to find out the disease of the kid!" he shouted frustrated.

"You have to treat him!".

"And it's exactly what I want to do!".

"No! You want to understand what he has, but you don't give a damn If he's having a heart attack!".

House glared at her who was staring at him with arms crossed. Then, still facing her, not caring of the others, he said "Then, I'd treat him" he muttered.

He moved to go to his office as she remained motionless.

"His parents will want explanations!" she yelled at his back.

House waved his left hand as a sign that he didn't care.

_TBC..._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

House entered the office of Cuddy and saw a man and a woman inside. He looked at Cuddy confused and she sighed deeply.

_'Don't say anything stupid, please House, don't say anything stupid'_ she begged him in her mind.

"They are th-" she started when he entered.

"What, you've decided to _buy_ a child rather than _make_ one?" he asked sarcastically.

_'Just perfect!'_ she thought angrily.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan, this is " she told to the couple.

"Finally! You're the fool who wanted to kill my son!" shouted to him.

"Hey, who do you think you are!" House challenged him.

"How dare you! Do you believe that being a famous doctor gives you the right to be God with people's lives?" Mr. Sullivan asked angrily.

House cringed "Well, I have lived for more than twenty years under this excuse" he mocked him.

House looked at Cuddy as Mr. Sullivan stood up and rushed to House.

"Nothing personal, but there is only one condition that doesn't bother me when someone is so close, when there's a woman on her knees".

Cuddy stood between the two. Protecting House before he got a punch in his face.

"House! I've called you here to explain to Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan that the procedure you used was invasive and wrong and to apologize for the incident" she told House threatingly.

House looked at her nervously, pouting "But Jimmy took the crayons!" he faked a childish voice. He turned serious after a while and turned to the couple "The procedure I used was invasive, but If Africa, Australia and the United Nations hadn't stopped me as usual, maybe...no, certainly now we'd know what your son has. Besides, it's not for me to be the good guy, it's not in my style; usually, I'm the one who steal the lollipop, but If you want I can pretend for you. Other than that, it's been a pleasure" House turned to leave, pushing away Cuddy.

"I want a formal apology!" said angrily.

House turned, grinning "Try to throw me in jail, once almost worked" House went out slamming the door and bumping into the secretary of Cuddy.

"We're going take away Edward from here and I will strike him off" Mr. Sullivan said angrily.

* * *

><p>House was in his office, gathering all his thing before leaving. Cameron opened the door and entered, walking quickly to him. She slammed her hands on his desk. He looked at her curiously.<p>

"What?".

"Edward will be transferred just because your teacher didnt teach you how to say_ 'I'm sorry'_!" she muttered angrily.

House made a fake expression of despair, clasping his hands together "I'm sorry!".

Cameron was fuming "That child needs care! Just make a formal apology!" she almost begged him.

House was impassive "It wouldn't help, they're taking him away however. I can give you a pony If you want" House took his backpack and headed to the door but she stopped him as he had done that afternoon, but now they were alone and he stared at her "Two contacts on the same day...I could dream of you tonight..." he smirked.

"Make a formal apology" Cameron stared at him, her lips barely parted, her eyes pleading. He stared at her amazed, he parted his lips too. She became aware of her contact with him, the closeness of him, the fact that these events'd have caused a sleepless night for both. But Edward was more important now. Something about him was different, and the fact that he hadn't broken their contact gave her strenght.

"Please" she muttered.

House awoke with those words, he took his eyes off of her lips "Give him some Ibuprofen, If he collapses they won't take him anywhere" House moved away her hands with his cane and went out.

* * *

><p>House entered his apartment, threw his helmet on the couch, followed by his backpack. He stopped abruptly and rolled his eyes.<p>

"It will never work..." he rubbed his temples and sighed.

Then, he closed his eyes, biting his bottom lip.

_'Ok: I got home, I opened the door, helmet and backpack, keys, I turned on the TV, scotch...no, scotch is over, beer..._' he thought, following the advice of Cameron of that morning.

He opened his eyes suddenly "No way..." he muttered astonished.

He went to the kitchen, opened the fridge and there it is: an orange phial of seven centimeters containing eight white pills. He took it and closed the fridge, smirking.

* * *

><p>House walked through the doors of the hospital with only 40 minutes late.<p>

_'In this way, one day I'll arrive on time'_ he thought.

"House" Cuddy said when she spotted him.

House closed his eyes, snorting. He turned around nonchalantly, looking at his boss with her usual gray tailleur with the generous neckline of her white blouse.

"Oh, my love and my agony...these are the things that make me get up in the morning, in my case, these and Vicodin" he said, looking at her neckline.

Cuddy wasn't angry and that worried House. She smiled.

"Thank you" she told him.

House widened his eyes "Wow, that hormone treatment must give you some strange contraindication. I was saying an explicit and sarcastic reference to your boobs!".

Cuddy smiled again. He was getting nervous.

"Ok, I promised that I'd not hate you too much today after what you did for Edward".

House stared at her confused "I did for Edward?...Hey, I didn't do anything! I was at home tonight, I have a piano and a Cantonese that can prove it!".

Cuddy folded her arms "Thank you for your letter, it was the right thing to do".

She turned and went to her office.

House stood there staring at the floor, confused. Then, the epiphany.

"Damn woman!" he muttered, rushing to the elevators.

* * *

><p>He entered the conference room and looked around. Foreman and Chase stared at him.<p>

"What treatment you want to start?" Foreman asked.

House closed the door and walked toward the kid's room. She wasn't there.

He went to the lab but stopped abruptly. He went back to the elevator and went down to the clinic.

He slammed his cane on the desk where there were two nurses. One of them turned around nervously, recognizing him.

"Yes, ?" the nurse asked, glaring at him.

"Where is ?".

"Exam room 3".

House walked away immediately.

"She's with a patient!" she yelled at him.

House opened the door as Cameron was visiting a girl with her blouse open. The girl immediately covered herself as the immunologist turned with a sigh.

"Don't you see I'm working? Can you go out?".

"I've seen better than that. Come out, now!" he said angrily.

House went out and waited for her at the door. Cameron turned to the patient, smiling.

"I'm sorry Emily, just a second".

"I don't think so, your doctor will be fired in a second" he cut in.

Cameron left the room closing the door, staring angrily at House.

"You didn't have any right to do such a thing! I take my decisions and I had decided that-" he started.

"That Edward isn't worthy of your attention!" she said irritated.

"You're such a baby, you must learn to separate work and feelings" he muttered angrily.

"Look who's talking! You haven't written that letter out of spite!".

"What's happening here!" Cuddy asked, going quickly to them, seeing an irritated House and a deathly serious Cameron, a horrible mix at 10:00am.

"Nothing" she said, still glaring at House.

House stared at her, fuming and gripping his cane.

_'Shit!_' he thought.

If it were not for the fact that without that letter at this time he'd be in front of the Board, he humiliated her in front of everyone.

"House?" Cuddy asked.

"We were discussing the Superball" he answered.

Cuddy looked back at Cameron, to be sure that everything was ok. Cameron smiled but Cuddy went away still unsure.

"It's incredible how she has learned how to stand up to him..." Cuddy muttered to herself.

House waited until Cuddy was out of ear as Cameron turned to return in the exam room. He put his hand on the doorknob, blocking her escape as his lips were an inch from her ear. Her heart sped up.

"You've to thanks someone up there for its protection" he muttered.

Cameron turned to him, face to face. Close, too damn close to the point that he could taste her scent; to the point of being able to imagine her taste. He frowned as she stayed quiet.

"There is nothing you can do to upset me, House" she answered seriously.

She entered the room, leaving outside a shocked and confused House.

_TBC..._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

House was standing in front of the whiteboard, tapping his cane on the ground. He'd not changed his expression since her last previous words.

_'What the hell it means that I can't upset her?'_ he thought.

"The most important thing that we can consider is heart failure. The immune system is weak but this is not the cause but the effect" Foreman said tiredly.

"What?" House turned to the neurologist, sighing.

"I said, the most important thing that we can consider is heart failure, because the immune system is too weak" he repeated.

House bit his bottom lip, thinking "Good, I like it. Prove it" he said before going to his office.

Chase finished his crossword puzzle and followed Foreman out of the conference room.

"He could even write epitaphs and he'd not have noticed" Chase smirked.

They saw Cameron turning a corner and approaching them quickly.

"Today is the right day to ask House to go on vacation, he doesn't think" Foreman winked to Chase.

"Edward is getting worse, the heart rate is unstable and the pressure is dropping" Cameron reported when she reached them.

Foreman leaned against the wall, thoughtfully "Great! Now we can't do any test!" he snorted.

"Sometimes, you're worse than him" Cameron said about his insensitivity.

Cameron went quickly to House's office as he took some Vicodin, his left hand clutching the back of his chair, eyes closed, his right leg slightly bent.

"What do you want?" he asked, looking up at her.

She came down to earth. It often happened that she was distracted while staring at him when she saw him sick. And she was certain that he interpreted it as a gesture of pity.

_'When you're going to stop pitying myself?'_ House thought.

_'When you are going to stop hurting yourself?'_ she thought.

"Edward is getting worse and he's not stable right now" she reported.

House closed his eyes tiredly, he hadn't slept during the night. That's why he had arrived early.

"I want a ECG" he ordered, almost whispering.

"We can't monitor him in these conditions, the parameters-" she started.

House shook his head, annoyed "Yeah yeah, I know, the parameters are out of the norm...I have to...Well...Just get out" he said, sitting on his chair.

She looked down and then back at him, his hands through his hair. He still felt her presence in the room and looked up at her. She opened her mouth to say something and half-smiled.

"Sorry..." she said and turned.

"You can't help it, right?".

Cameron turned to him, really smiling this time "I'm not-" she started.

"You always have to justify everything you do. No one will ever take you seriously, be more aggressive" he smirked.

"Are you plagiarizing me, House?".

"I'm molding you, Cameron".

She smiled, hand on the doorknob. She was hesitant for a moment and the smile disappeared. She turned seriously to him and he stared at her.

_'Please...'_ she thought.

_'Please...'_ he thought.

"The pressure has dropped again, he is cyanotic" Chase reported, entering the office.

"Intubate him and you go with him" House ordered.

Cameron left his office with Chase.

House sighed and fell back in his chair.

* * *

><p>"Cyanosis and heart attacks in a five years old, a great life full of promises!" Chase exclaimed, entering the conference room.<p>

Cameron shook his head while she followed him and Foreman in the room.

House was writing something on the whiteboard and then he deleted everything again and again. He turned to them.

"Ok, let's do a game, the same as ever: guess the diagnosis and go with it!" he exclaimed.

"Cardiomegaly" Foreman cut in.

"Interesting..." House muttered.

"No, it can't be, it makes no sense" Cameron stopped him.

"The swelling of the heart is very common in young children, and the fact that it has not been found before it matches. It must reach a critical threshold, in our case the infarction" Foreman explained.

"His heart is normal" Cameron reasoned.

"But we can't see it without a biopsy" Chase said.

"You were thinking about what kind of infection?" House asked after a while.

"Hello? Someone can listen to me? His heart is normal!" Cameron said nervously.

House turned to her, sighing "If his heart was normal, he'd not have heart attacks at the age of five and he wouldn't be cyanotic. Moreover, I'd not be here to discuss with you because the heart of the Little Lord is not normal, apart from that, hey? You're right!" House said loudly.

Cameron glared at him and crossed her arms.

"Now she is pissed with me, perfect. What were you saying Foreman?".

"Since his lungs are ok, it can't be pulmonary hypertension, but-" Foreman explained.

"I didn't ask the story of your life, just tell me the infection that you were thinking and then shut up!".

"He's hypertrophic, I think of a viral infection" Foreman finished.

House turned to stare at the whiteboard "We can't do an ECG, so you have to find something else" House said thoughtfully.

"You're rejecting my idea just because you can't prove it?" Foreman asked confused.

"Today he has this mood" Cameron muttered, bitterly.

House turned around and stared at her. She watched him carefully.

"You are unbearable this morning" he huffed.

"You're all days. So, this cardiomyopathy?" she asked.

House frowned, her attitude was getting him nervous "You're offending me and then you say _'so this cardiomyopathy?'_ What kind of reasoning is this?" he asked.

"You know, I have this absurd idea that the main problem is that I am a baby who is unable to separate work and feelings, so I think that the child's health is more important than your habit of making people nervous" she said bitterly.

"And you don't have the habit to spoil everyone?" he answered immediately.

"What? Are you jealous?" she smirked.

Foreman and Chase were staring at them, hating those kind of moments. They always hoped in some cataclysm or Wilson or Cuddy, or the three things together.

"If it were a restrictive kind, we could opt for a lack of vitamin B1 since he's a kid" Chase tried to interrupt them.

House and Cameron continued to look at each other.

"You can't answer a question with another question" House said.

"You have the monopoly of this attitude?" she asked.

Foreman and Chase wanted to find a way to stop that moment.

"A chest radiograph should not cause him any problem" Foreman said after a while.

House smiled and Cameron's eyes widened in amazement.

"God, do x-rays and take with you his teddy bear, otherwise they'll sue us for lack of cuddles for the patient" he said sarcastically, going to his office.

Chase Foreman followed Cameron outside since she had went away in a fury.

"Hey, you two need to reach a number of allusive jokes in a day or you just do it as a hobby?" Foreman asked, shaking his head.

"Please!" Cameron said exasperated.

Foreman and Chase stopped, staring at her back. Those situations were absurd and funny.

_TBC..._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

House entered the kid's room, who looked at him frightened. House ignored him and looked around.

"Where's your little friend?" he asked to the little boy.

"She's not here" he answered back.

"And that's why I've asked you. You're not very smart, aren't you?" he mocked him.

House sat down and pulled out his PSP. He left his cane on the floor and pulled out a lollipop. Edward studied him, his attention was mainly on lollipops.

House grinned without taking his eyes off the console.

"Can I have one too, please?" he asked sweetly.

"No, I need vitamins, but you should eat...well, brain or liver".

"Fortunately there are other ways to take the vitamin B1" Cameron said as she entered the room.

House looked up, she went to Edward and checked his IV. House stood up from his chair and the kid leaned forward staring at his shoes "I have them too" he said enthusiastically.

"See, another reason why he likes us so much. Come out when you're done" he ordered and stood leaning against the wall in front of the room, turning the lollipop in his mouth.

Another little girl in the next room looked at him, smiling. He rolled his eyes annoyed and went to sit on a chair, next to a man visibly tired.

"It's unthinkable the idea that our children are in those beds" the man started.

House thought for a moment "Yeah...".

The man nodded "I have two girls, one has been here for a week" he continued.

"Two boys and a girl. You don't know how many problems, especially with the girl" he answered, obviously referring to his team.

The man smiled knowingly.

"House?" Cameron was in front of him, staring at him in surprise. He rolled his eyes and turned to the man.

"Ah, here is the little girl" he announced.

House walked away, followed by her while the man stared at him confused.

"So, what have you found?" House asked.

Cameron took a long breath, knowing that the_ 'I told you so'_ was coming inevitably "An enlargement of the walls of his heart".

House turned to her, looking shocked with a hand over his mouth "But, but, it's impossible! I mean, maybe it's because the kid is hypersensitive, but I thought that cuddling the baby all day prevented heart to swell. Why these things happen? Why?" he said loudly. He shook his head, pretending to be desperate. She sighed exasperated. "Ok, proved that I am a genius again, my dear peace of art, biopsy!" House walked away, spotting Wilson chuckling with a nurse.

She followed him "They won't ever give us the consent" she informed him.

"You're forgetting that I wrote a beautiful letter where I flogged myself in public for the good of the community. Oh yeah, I haven't read it! Can I have a copy?".

"A biopsy is risky today as it was yesterday" she said annoyed.

"I didn't tell you to give him a heart attack and then do a biopsy...It'd be crazy! Wilson, stop!" he shouted to his friend.

Wilson stopped the elevator's doors and waited for him.

"What do you think I should tell his parents?" she asked confused.

"I don't know. Why do you think thay I leave it up to you to answer my e-mail?" he said smirking.

The doors closed while Cameron looked tiredly at House.

* * *

><p>Wilson stared at House who stared at the panel of the elevator.<p>

"You will never get a taste of the papaya in this way" Wilson shook his head.

"I've never told you that I want to" he reasoned.

The doors opened and Cuddy entered, nodding at them "Hi".

House admired her from behind and Wilson nudged him, trying to not smirk.

"There is no law regarding the length of the plackets of the skirts?" House asked curiously.

"We're not in a barracks" she answered annoyed.

"Then why I'm not free to take my pills?".

"Because you're a drug addict and because it is the only way to keep Tritter away from my archives".

"You'll eat the chocolate pudding forever, right?" Wilson asked, smirking.

"What can I say, I like it, I'm a creature of habit" he answered simply.

Cuddy turned to stare at the oncologist who looked away. House leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

"Keep an eye on him, he's weird lately. Oh look, my floor!" House stepped out, Wilson and Cuddy behind him.

"I think that you'd not try that pudding. It could be dangerous" Wilson mocked him.

Cuddy turned to Wilson and House looked at him grinning.

"There are for example, ehm, lollipops!" Wilson continued.

"I love strawberry lollipops".

"Yeah, but you know, every so often it's good to try new things".

Cuddy stopped in front of Wilson, arms crossed. He turned to her, smiling and then back to House.

"I mean, are you going to eat only strawberry lollipops forever?" Wilson asked.

"Yes" House answered quickly.

"Wilson, are you really trying to have a conversation about lollipops and puddings with House?" Cuddy asked shocked.

"Do you think that this conversation is strange too?" House mocked her.

"I still don't have figured out if you're really talking about food or you're talking in code. And honestly, I don't care" Cuddy walked away, rolling her eyes.

House smiled at his friend, eating a marshmallow. Wilson smiled back.

"Do whatever you want. I've just given you an advice" Wilson said and went to his office.

"I'll think about it" he answered and went to his office.

"Sometimes, you should act and not think too much" Wilson said loudly. He entered his office as House stopped and stared at his door, smiling.

* * *

><p>Foreman entered the dark office of House, except for the lamp on his desk that lit up some files that he was reading.<p>

"We've managed to do a biopsy without too much trouble" Foreman reported.

House rubbed his eyes tiredly "Good, give me the results".

"I said without much trouble, I didn't say that we've hadnt't. Cameron is doing the tests right now" Foreman explained.

House stood up and took his cane.

* * *

><p>He stopped in front of the door of the lab, observing her working on the microscope.<p>

He grimaced. He had survived until now without a kiss so he could easily go through his entire life without knowing how it could be.

He opened the door and she turned around, sighing when she saw who it was.

"Ah, here you are" she muttered.

"Sorry they had finished the Johnny Depp model" he mocked her.

Cameron smiled, turned to her microscope "There are anomalies in the fibrous cells, but not so defined. I'm not sure, but the sample was-" she started.

"You have done everything to not make him suffer" he said thoughtfully.

Cameron turned and found him a few millimeters from her face, watching the images on the screen.

"He's just a child, he'd not suffer like this" she explained.

"The world is dirty and evil, where only the big ones survive, Charles Darwin" he said.

"I remember the theory of natural selection differently" she said amused.

"Before the censoring, it was so. Start with diuretics and antiarrhythmics. We still need a new heart, so put him on the list" he ordered.

Cameron got up but he didn't move, therefore she was practically face to face with him. He tilted his head as if he could see her better.

She opened her lips confused, looking for an escape.

"House?" she asked.

"What?".

Yeah, what? She was just a few steps from him and and he didn't move. She could move him away, then why she didn't?

A little and imperceptible twitch of her shoulder and he averted his gaze from her lips, frowning as if to try to understand what to do with that fascinating puzzle that was her.

"What?" she asked.

"If there was a tax on the looks...I'm sorry, but my wallet is at home again..." he said amused.

She swallowed hard, hoping to not look into those eyes.

She put her hands on his chest to push him away and felt like a shock through her body. It was a moment or more?

_..._

"Not bad the papaya..." he muttered satisfied.

Cameron opened her eyes, looking at House going away.

She stared at the floor for a while, totally shocked.

_'God!'_ she thought.

She leaned against the counter, running her fingers to her lips. Her eyes darted everywhere while her mind returned on what had happened.

She had rested her hands on his chest; he had observed that gesture with a grin on his face. The feeling of his fingers around her hand, his eyes. With a slowness almost unnatural, without trying to prevaricate. Their lips had touched and again, deeply. She still remembered the feeling of his beard against her lips, the tingling of her hand. But it was more than that or she had just imagined everything?

She had caressed his face, his hands on her hips. Their lips and tongues playing together. Their breaths that sounded greedy, short, irregular. That taste sweet and sour on her lips that was not hers. His half-closed eyelids, his deep blue eyes. She had imagined also that?

"God..." she muttered.

"What?" Chase asked suddenly from the door.

"Huh?" she jolted, confused. She looked up and found her two coworkers staring at her.

"Everything okay? You seem upset" Foreman asked.

"Yeah, everything ok" she assured them.

_'House's just kissed me!'_ she thought.

She looked back at the microscope because she thought that it was the less suspicious act.

"House has done something?" Chase asked.

"No! Nothing!" she said quickly, too quickly.

She turned to them, and they looked at each other confused.

Foreman smirked "Why are you yelling? House doesn't want to do anything for the cardiomyopathy?" he asked amused.

"No, I wasn't...he just..." she said embarrassed. She tried to remember what he had ordered, but she was having a really hard time "Diuretics, antiarrhythmics, transplant list".

Chase looked at her astonished as she stared at the floor.

"Ok, even though you've said it like a shopping list" Chase said amused.

Cameron shook her head and went out.

Foreman chuckled, looking at Chase incredulously.

"I love women, but I can't understand them" Chase said.

"They must not be understood" Foreman answered, shaking his head.

_TBC..._


	9. Chapter 9

_Hello! =)_

**Chapter 9**

Cameron almost ran through the corridors to find him. She looked at her watch: 7:00pm. She imagined him in his office, gathering his things to leave for the day. But she needed an explanation, you don't kiss a person and then disappear like that!

She reached his office and there he is, putting on his coat and taking his backpack. He looked up, seeing that before him there was his fuming and angry immunologist...angry?

_'You're angry because I kissed you?'_ he thought.

_'Am I angry because you kissed me?'_ she wondered.

"You kissed me!" she said.

"Yeah, I know" he said nonchalantly, going to the door but she blocked him. He rolled his eyes, already annoyed.

"You. Kissed. Me!" she repeated angrily.

"I. Know!" House turned back and went to the connecting door between the two offices but she followed him.

"House!" she called him.

He turned to her, now he was getting angry "Stop crying, I can hear you! You could easily get away with a slap in my face but you did the opposite...Ah by the way, too sappy for my standards so relax, it was only...an...an experiment" House left, heading to the elevator where he found Wilson.

"Why?" she yelled after him.

He grinned and tilted his head to the right. Wilson was watching them confused.

"You said that there was nothing I could do to upset you...your expression seems to betray your theories".

The doors closed on the face of an incredulous Cameron.

"Everything ok?" Wilson asked.

"Things are too sweet and I've never liked them in this way. They're too sappy" he smirked.

* * *

><p><em>Drin, Drin, Drin.<em>

A sleepy House turned on the lamp on the bedside table and stared at his watch, that he normally took off at night: 2:30am. He snorted and buried his face in the pillow.

_Drin, Drin, Drin._

"This bastard doesn't give up..." he cursed for not having turned off his phone.

He sat on the edge of the bed tiredly.

_Drin, Drin, Drin._

_'PS: take back the cordless in this room'_ he thought.

He gathered a bit of energy and some Vicodin from the bedside table and left the room, walking slowly down the hall in darkness.

"I'm not awake, recalls when the rooster crows" he said on the phone, closing his eyes.

_"Edward is getting worse, the diuretics haven't affected his kidneys"_ Chase reported.

"Give him some immunosuppressants and let me sleep".

_"Already done, nothing has changed"_ Chase said before he could hang up.

House stared at the shadow of his left hand on the wall, waving.

_"House? Are you still there?"._

"What about the antiarrhythmics?" he yawned silently.

_"They don't work, can keep under control the heartbeat only for about a couple of hours. We have changed many of them, we also have treated him with beta-blockers but nothing"._

House rubbed his face, with the little dose of Vicodin that Cuddy gave him, he needed almost two or four hours to fall asleep, consequently he slept just four hours a night.

"I'll be there in half an hour" he announced annoyed.

"But your house is ten minutes from here" Chase said confused but he heard him hang up "House? House?".

_TBC..._


	10. Chapter 10

_Thanks! =)_

**Chapter 10**

If there was one thing of which he was firmly convinced, it was that If the Beethoven's _Ninth_ couldn't wake him up, there was anything else. He was in the elevator with eyes closed and the second movement at full volume in his ears.

The doors opened and a full active Foreman started to update him with the news about Edward...probably...Because reading lips at three in the morning it's not so easy. He saw something similar to _"sleeping hours"_ as the double basses made their entrance in his hears.

"But are you listening to me?" Foreman asked annoyed.

House took off his headphones and the neurologist heard the volume of his music.

"Well, since he's sleeping, monitor him with and do an ECG" House ordered, going to his office with Foreman with him.

"You know that you could be crashing against something or killing someone, listening to music so high while you're on your bike?" Foreman asked.

House widened his eyes as they entered the conference room and he swallowed a Vicodin "Beethoven has never hurt anyone".

Chase smiled amused while Cameron was sitting at the table. They stared at each other for a moment and he grinned again. She breathed deeply.

"Where are the scans?" House asked.

"In your office" Foreman replied.

House walked away, taking off his jacket and showing off a blue and white striped pajama top and black pants. Chase and Foreman observed him, chuckling.

"You look at my ass again and you'll understand how Tritter felt that afternoon".

House looked at the scans of the kid's chest. Then he connected his i-Pod to speakers and his team jumped for the high volume of the orchestra. House turned to his desk and took a pen "So, let's see if I can remember how a normal heart looks like..." he drew a heart on the scans "A swollen one has this shape" he drew another "Now, not to be picky, but the kid's one is not the same to either of them!".

The heart of Edward was among the House's two. He turned to her, looking angry "But what the hell were you thinking when you were doing the biopsy?".

Cameron stared at him stunned "You...you said to begin the therapy. I told you I was not 100% sure of the results!".

"Good excuse! Really!" he turned to the scans again "He's neither fish nor fowl. Where's the total body scan?".

Chase put it next to the scans and House stared at it. He tilted his head to the right and to the left.

"What do you want to do?" Chase asked.

"Silence" House ordered.

"Well, in the meantime we can continue to monitor him" Foreman proposed.

They stood up to leave but House's voice stopped them.

"Did you know that Beethoven was deaf when he composed the _'Ode to Joy'_? Completely deaf, they say that when the piece was performed for the first time, the emphasis was so intense when the composer began to conduct the orchestra, with movements so beautiful that the women in the room fainted, some people cried and he was shocked by this. Just because they had never heard sing Freddy".

The three doctors looked at each other without understanding.

"Edward's heart is shocked as Beethoven. It reacts to external stimuli such as people reacted to the piece. Just that he knows the voice of Freddy" House explained.

"So what?" Chase asked.

"His heart is different from ours. It has a hole".

"Edward has a hole in his heart?" Foreman asked confused.

House continued to stare at the total body scan, biting his lower lip.

Cameron moved to observe it closely and he didn't expect it. He looked at her curiously.

"It's not a bad idea" Cameron agreed after a while.

"I know, it's mine".

She smiled, still looking at the scan "But we can't still not see the typical form of the tetralogy of Fallot".

"We have a heart of Fallot?" Chase asked amazed.

Foreman and Chase moved closer to look at the scan as House kept looking at her. She turned to him and smiled.

"We need a specialist's opinion. Well, they will never agree with your assumptions at 3:00am" Foreman scoffed.

House and Cameron continued to look at each other. He was grinning while she smiled challenging.

"Find the idiot chief of Cardiology and take it to him" House ordered.

Chase chuckled, taking the scan and going out.

Foreman followed him.

She stood there, hands on hips as if she was challenging him.

"The article is yours, try not to get fooled again" House said.

Cameron raised an eyebrow satisfied and turned to leave.

He reached for his beloved i-Pod.

"By the way, nice pajamas" she smiled.

House barely had time to turn around, seeing her going away with a satisfied smile on her lips.

* * *

><p>House was putting on his jacket to go away. He yawned while pondering that maybe he could still sleep for a few hours.<p>

His team returned and he looked at them annoyed, throwing his backpack on the desk.

"Damnit! I have the right to benefit from my hours of sleep too! It was better if I ended up in prison, at least there they don't bother you while you sleep" House whined.

"We can't reach the chief of Cardiology" Foreman informed him.

House yawned widely.

Chase, Foreman and Cameron stared at him and he smirked "Keep trying, it worked with me".

House went out and they followed him. He quickened his pace, putting the headphones back on.

"If we haven't his consent, we can't start the therapy" Foreman tried again.

"You have my consent, you've simply to keep him stable until tomorrow for the operation" House called the elevator and pushed Play on his i-Pod "And the next time you'll wake me up at this hour, let me at least find a topless Tahitian with a Martini in front of my door" House got into the elevator, staring at his team "Pray that I'll get home before the end of the third movement" he said before the doors closed.

* * *

><p>House left the hospital.<p>

How the heck he had thought of going out with only his pajamas and the tracksuit on?

It was very cold for being in October, and the idea of getting on the bike wasn't so attractive. He put his keys in the ignition but the noise that came out after pressing the clutch was not the best. It didn't seem to start.

"Oh come on, damn it! I want to sleep!" he tried again but nothing. It was too cold for her too.

He fixed his cane on the bike and got on. He spent a few minutes tapping his fingers on the tank as he stared straight ahead, the flutes were playing happily in the dark background.

The violins increased their pace as he saw her coming toward him with her arms crossed over her chest. She was still wearing her white coat.

He made another attempt with his bike, nothing.

_'Bastard, come on, come on! Why I'm here?'_ he thought.

Violins, bass and drums played in unison.

"Don't tell me that he's collapsing again! It's not poss-".

He stayed frozen, motionless, her hands on his face, eyes wide open, shocked, stunned, over his mouth there was a sweet heat. Again that sweet taste, the same that he had thought about for two hours before falling asleep.

Her lips seemed so delicate as she followed the profile of his.

He wasn't sure if it was the cool air of October, the Beethoven's _Ninth_, her warm hands that blocked the cold air, but he enveloped her with his arms around her waist, bringing her to him.

It was irrational, because in the laboratory he had had full control of the situation.

But now...now, dammit. He wanted to pull her on the bike with him, he wanted to feel more of her skin. Just her hands on his face weren't enough. And then there was that tongue that kept looking for his, bring him even closer to those lips.

Almost colliding.

Almost violently.

Almost hurtingly.

Then that last taste of their lips, as if to say goodbye.

The music stopped abruptly.

But Beethoven was silent for quite a while already.

"Ok" she whispered.

House looked at her going away like an idiot, still with his lips parted, almost waiting for her to return.

Mechanically, like a robot, he put on his helmet and pushed the clutch again, hearing the mighty roar of his bike. That reminded him that "God, I'm freezing".

_TBC..._


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

House entered the hospital bumping against a nurse "Hey!" he glared deathly at her. He rushed toward the elevator, getting in with his head down.

"How come you're already sulking before going to the clinic?" Wilson said, getting into after him who was staring at the panel of the elevator.

House stared at him, frowning "Usually, when do you wake up in the morning to be all gussied up?" he asked.

"Yeah, it can't be only your leg If you avoid the topic in this way...What else?".

"I couldn't kill them all, one has escaped, happy now?".

They got out and Wilson followed his friend to his office.

"Who you couldn't kill? The monsters of your new game?" Wilson asked, confused.

"The children crossing the road to go to school, a policeman helped them to run away" House said, putting his hand on the doorknob.

"It's not an excuse, you know? The Grinch shouldn't go around during Christmas?" Wilson joked.

"What can I say, I like doing inspections".

Wilson shook his head, going to his office.

* * *

><p>"What is the play and what is my role?" House said, making a theatrical entrance in the conference room.<p>

Foreman and Chase stared at him amused.

"Wow, I never would have said you were a type of _'Shakespeare in love'_" Chase chuckled.

House made a face "Just because Shakespeare is English, it doesn't mean that English people are intelligent. After him, the void for centuries".

"There was a certain Darwin" Chase corrected him.

"So you're admitting that _you're_ English!" House smirked.

Chase rolled his eyes in exasperation as Foreman chuckled behind his folder.

"So, how's beautiful eyes?" House asked.

"Edward?" Foreman asked.

"No, Cameron".

"He's stable, we monitored him all night" Foreman reported.

House shook his head "Why you monitored Cameron?".

Foreman looked up at him as House left some folders on the table and went to the coffee machine.

"Chase, where's my breakfast?".

"Maybe you mean _my_ breakfast, the one that you usually steal every morning".

House widened his eyes "Where's it!" he repeated.

"Sorry, this morning I haven't had time to buy it, I had to relieve Cameron since she spent the night with the kid" Chase explained.

House took his pager "You've to stop to have sex in the patients' rooms, I told you a thousand times that you can use my office as long as you pull the curtains. Go and buy it" he ordered.

"What?" Chase asked confused.

"The breakfast, go!".

"...No!".

House lowered his pager, talking to Foreman and ignoring Chase "Foreman, go to relieve Cameron and keep going with the ECG".

The two doctors stood up but House stopped Chase.

"Where are you going?".

"With Foreman" Chase answered simply.

"The cafeteria is on the other way".

Chase went out angrily, going to the cafeteria.

* * *

><p>Cameron was sitting in Edward's room, reading a magazine when he awoke.<p>

"Hi..." Edward muttered.

"Hi Edward, how are you feeling this morning?" Cameron asked, smiling.

"Tired".

Cameron approached his bed and checked his parameters as he smiled.

"It's because of the drugs, but soon you'll feel better" she reassured him.

"With my new heart!" Edward said happily.

Cameron smiled caressing his curly blond hair, his blue eyes so clear...that smile.

"Edward, I have great news. You won't need a new heart, but-" she started.

"Really?" the kid almost shouted.

Cameron shook her head. His interruptions reminded her of another pair of blue eyes...

"Exactly, but you still have to do an operation".

Her beeper went off, interrupting them.

_Emergency! House._

"You'll be with me?" Edward asked, unsure.

Cameron smiled as he threw his arms around her neck "Of course. Now I have to go, but someone will be here to keep you company" Cameron walked toward the door.

"The doctor with the lollipops! I want him!" Edward shouted.

"No, I don't think he's free right now" Cameron said almost defeated.

"But I want his games!".

"I'll ask him to lend you them" Cameron left the room.

She walked slowly to the office where House was fumbling with the coffee machine. She entered, realizing that there was only him.

He turned to her "Where the heck were you finished!" he asked.

"I was in the room with a cold-eyed blonde" she smirked.

"Give him a break, that poor boy! You're insatiable!".

She ignored him "What is the emergency?".

"The coffee is finished".

"And you call it an emergency?" she shook her head and went to him in front of the coffee machine. She took his cup from his hands and he took a few steps back, pouting.

"You've never seen me without coffee in my blood, or you'd understand perfectly".

House was standing at a safe distance, observing her. Neither of them looked at each other in the eyes...after what had happened.

Cameron paused her movements and placed her hands on the counter "Thank you".

_'For the kiss?'_ he thought unsure.

"For?" he asked.

"I know you've put Edward on top of the list of the operations".

_'Ah...luckily...'._

"I don't want to miss it, I saw the tetralogy of Fallot just once, when I was an intern in surgery. It's cool".

Cameron turned, handing him a cup of coffee. He moved away abruptly without taking it as she looked at him strangely.

"What are you doing?" she asked, curiously.

"I don't trust you. What If you jump on me again? Maybe I have to remember you that you kissed me last night at about three and a half in the morning?" he said as she took a step toward him.

"I didn't know that it had disgusted you..." she smirked.

"You kissed me against my will! It's called harassment!".

"You could easily push me away, but you did the exact opposite, by the way...too corny for my taste" she handed him the cup "Your coffee, House" she moved towards the door

"And I'm supposed to believe it?" he smirked.

She turned around, smiling, arms crossed over her chest "It was just a whim. The first time I was taken aback, don't be worried, it won't be repeated ever again" she left the office smiling.

"I'm not worried!" he yelled after her. He brought the cup to his lips and then poured the content into another cup and filled his with fresh coffee.

"Your breakfast!" Chase announced when he entered, handing him a bag that the diagnostician took and gave him a cup of coffee.

Chase smiled surprised "Oh, thank you".

House left the office as Chase drank his coffee.

"It's salty!" Chase shouted at him.

House grinned, walking down the corridor.

_TBC..._


	12. Chapter 12

_Hello! =)_

**Chapter 12**

"You can't date him, come on! He'll sleep with your sister again" House was relaxing on a bed in the clinic, watching his favourite soap on his little TV.

_'I wonder how it's possible that someone like him is a fan of a crap like that...'_.

"House!" Cuddy called him.

The diagnostician reached into his pocket and found nothing, then he looked up, finding himself face to face with the part that he preferred of his boss.

"Muuuuuuu!".

Cuddy looked at him shocked as his eyes stared at his cleavage. He twisted his mouth and tilted his head, studying her. She hit him on the arm to have his attention on her eyes.

"House! Could you please look at me!".

House shook his head, finally looking into her eyes "Oh, hello Cuddy, you're here too?" he smirked and jumped out of the bed, gathering his things. Then, he left the room followed by Cuddy.

"Do you think you can escape in this way!".

"It's 11:32, my shift is over two minutes ago" he shrugged.

"You've arrived at 10:40 instead of 9:30 and you have had only two patients!" she protested.

House stopped at the nurses' station, filling his pockets with lollipops...only red, under the incredulous eyes of a child that couldn't reach them.

"Well?" Cuddy said again.

"Complex cases" House answered and then turned to the kid who was staring at him "What do you want? When you will be high up to her tits, we'll go into it then" he said annoyed.

Cuddy took some lollipops from his hand and gave them to the kid, who ran away immediately.

He looked at her pouting.

"Complex cases: a cold and a dislocated shoulder?".

"I am a meticulous doctor. However, how come you've not had a hernia due to the weight you have to carry around on your chest?" he asked seriously.

She looked at him astonished "House? What's the matter with you this morning? Did you take testosterone instead of Vicodin?".

He grinned "Yeah, would you like it! But instead...nothing!" he said, going to the elevator.

"It would be my nightmare. Other than that, can you explain me how you managed to piss off the assistant of the chief of Surgery without even talking to him?" she asked exasperated.

House shook his head, pretending not to understand about who she was talking about. She sighed "The one that has been here for three months, tall, male, Caucasian, early thirties, light brown dark eyes, scrubs".

"Gunshot wound, normal values, a mix between CSI and ER, but other than that, no, I do not know him" he called the elevator, looking at the ceiling.

"Dr. Martins" she tried again.

"No, sorry, but if you want I could get some informations for you".

"I have been informed that you have listed a surgery without the consent of a surgeon and Martins wants explanations. So go explain! You can't go around the hospital to act like a God!".

"I'd never steal your role here" House got in the elevator, smiling at Cuddy.

"You have an hour and then I want you here again!".

"Yes boss".

The doors of the elevator opened and House found a waiting Cameron outside.

"Dr. House!" Martins called him from the end of the hall.

"Shit..." House muttered.

In his thirties, light brown dark eyes, scrubs...Martins. House stayed in the elevator as Cameron looked at him puzzled

"Dr. House! Stop!" Martins tried again, running to him.

She understood the situation and blocked the doors, allowing Martins to reach House.

"Thank you, doctor" Martins said politely.

"Not at all" Cameron answered, smiling.

House glared at her, getting out defeated.

"How dare you to put your patients on the surgery list without the consent of a surgeon!" Martins accused him.

"My patient needs a surgery, I thought that you surgeons love cutting and sewing" House passed him and went to his office. Cameron and Martins followed him, blocking his way.

"You're not the only doctor in this hospital! And your patients are not special!" Martins argued.

"Tell this at the doctor" he gestured to Cameron and tried to step aside but Martins stopped him with a hand on his arm. House looked at his hand nervously.

"I don't care if you're the darling of the boos or something, the operating room is under my responsibility and being in charge of it, you can't treat me like that. I'm not Dr. Wilson".

House came closer to him "What did you just say, sorry?" he said on his face.

"House, I'm sure that he-" Cameron tried to stop him.

"You shut up. Can you repeat, doctor?" House was two inches from his face. Those insinuations pissed him off, one thing was if he overheard them in the cafeteria or the bathroom, but so directly and from nobody then...

Cameron tried to hold him by his arm gently, trying to placate him but he pushed her away.

"You got it right, doctor. What? Do you think that on the fifth floor we don't know about your games with the prescription book of Dr. Wilson?" Martins said, smirking.

Cameron tried again to stop House and this time he let her.

"The patient needs a surgery, he's suffering from tetralogy of Fallot, If you want it or not, doctor" House walked away angrily, followed by Cameron.

"I will ask for a consult" Martins said loudly.

House stopped abruptly and her blood froze in her veins. He turned to the surgeon, who was smirking. She knew that everything would burst soon.

"Sorry, what?".

"I will ask for a consult before confirming your surgery".

House went to him quickly "How the hell dare you, idiot? I've been a doctor since before you started understanding the anatomy on Playboy. I don't need a consult, and I don't need _your_ consult" he yelled.

Martins stared at him as House turned around and went back to his office, followed by Cameron again.

"I'll ask for the consult however, you almost had a little girl cut in two less than a month ago".

House stopped again and went to him again, that was the limit. Cameron understood his intentions and stopped him immediately as she had done two days before, in front of the room of Edward.

"What's going on here?" Cuddy asked, approaching the group.

Cameron sighed, relieved "Nothing".

"The furrier here wants to teach me how to do my job!" House protested, glaring at him.

There wasn't a Cameron to stop Martins. Turned to House, she just saw the fist at the end and then House collapsing against the wall.

"Dr. Martins!" Cuddy yelled.

"I am a highly qualified surgeon, addicted crazy idiot! And I'll ask for that consult. Goodbye doctors" Martins said and went away.

Cuddy and Cameron stared at House on the ground.

He licked his sore lip as he stood up, refusing their help "The surgeons feel like God with a scalpel in hand, but outside the operating room they are sissies" he grinned.

House walked to the conference room under the incredulous eyes of doctors and nurses.

_TBC..._


	13. Chapter 13

_Hi!_

**Chapter 13**

"Let me take a look" Cameron approached him while he was taking a Vicodin, drinking some coffee afterwards.

"It's nothing, I took harder blows when I was in third grade" House snorted.

She ignored him and moved closer to him, almost touching. He stepped back quickly.

"You'll never come closer to my face without a written permission. Never!".

With eyes wide open, she smiled and turned to take some coffee "Don't fool yourself, House. I have none interest in that field".

House rolled his eyes, smirking "Sure, not even my mug believes you".

Cameron turned to him, who was staring at her from above his red mug. She smiled proudly.

"You're not the only man on earth and then, as you pointed out to me once, you're twice my age. I can get someone better..." she put down her cup and went to his office.

"The game of cat and mouse was born with me" he smirked.

Cameron paused for a moment and then entered without turning.

He smiled and took a step toward her.

"Not only you got ahead the chief of surgery's assistant, but you didn't even ask for a consult with the Cardiology department? When will you realize that I can't always save your ass!" Cuddy yelled, entering his office.

House stopped and widened his eyes, stunned by her last sentence. He raised his hand to speak.

"No, House! Shut up! This morning you've already reached my patience limit for your insanity!" she yelled again and moved to the door without waiting for his answer.

"If I had waited for that idiot from Cardiology to get up from his chair to get his Rolex on his wrist, I'd lose time" House pointed out.

"Edward has only to be monitored until his surgery! Be normal for once! I want you in the clinic in half an hour!".

"I'll ask for the consult" he said, defeated.

Cuddy went out while House stuck out his tongue behind her back. He heard a laugh behind him and turned, noticing an amused Cameron watching him as she took some files.

House made a face, tapping his cane on the floor and studying her through the glass.

_'It could be fun...'_ he thought.

He left his mug on a shelf and went to his office.

* * *

><p>Cameron was reading some file on his computer. She could have done it on the other one, but she liked to be there. A small sheltered corner, muffled by outside noise. She felt his presence before he could rest his hand on the back of her chair. She kept staring at the screen, adjusting her glasses, aware that as long as he looked at the screen, things couldn't get worse.<p>

He kept staring at her.

"I'm almost done" she said quietly.

"Don't rush, my hour of exercise is not over yet" he answered.

He dragged the footstool of his armchair next to her, without taking his eyes off from her. She kept staring between the screen and him, who sat down with his chin resting on the handle of his cane.

"You have nothing better to do than to stare at me?" she asked nervously.

"Stare at people is one of my three hobbies, right after running and playing basketball. So you have to understand that you can't stop me".

Cameron smiled but there was something strange in her smile, almost as if her lips were no longer accustomed to do it, to curve upwards. It was brief, it went away as if it was never there. But he saw it and found it...damn sexy...

She stood up under his alert eyes.

The situation now was different, it was essential to maintain the eye contact to have the things under control. Because she couldn't stand that things could get out of hand.

There was method in all, even in those absurd and exhausting games of looks, contacts, unspoken but thought words.

For this reason she had answered to his kiss with another. It wasn't a whim, it was a rationalization of what had happened. But she had rationalized it that night, now she couldn't remember what was fantasy and what not.

She gave him her back and this was good for both. She didn't have to face him and he could move closer to her freely.

She felt a shiver along her left ring finger.

No, it wasn't a shiver.

It was his hand.

She almost didn't feel his beard on her neck before closing her eyes instinctively.

His fingers were playing with hers, his beard was scratching her ear tenderly.

She felt his lips and the wetness on her lobe, before sighing and leaning against him.

He put his arm around her waist with a movement so slow as to seem unreal.

She parted her lips while he kissed from her cheek to the corner of her mouth.

She felt his hand on her skin and she was hit by a myriad of sensations: from a sudden dizziness to the idea that only in those lips she'd stop the room spinning.

She turned around and captured his lips in a demanding kiss, leaning against a shelf, pulling him to her by the collar of his jacket.

The touch of his hands was barely noticeable on her hips while the one of his lips was intense and deep, like walking barefoot on the sand.

She felt him gently stroking her back and then again on her hips.

Their lips broke away but she bit his lower lip for the last time.

When his hands left her hips, the room finally stopped. And she met his eyes, so evasive and intense at the same time, hurt and ready to hurt. Red lips swollen for kisses too short, for too harsh of words.

"Probably, I'm twice your age, but I've also twice the experience than you...I know what you want" he whispered.

She barely had time to rationalize and leaned forward as if to catch him, but without really wanting to do it.

He stared at her and a proud look appeared on his face slowly.

To that look, she smiled satisfied.

Too late for him to notice it when he had already crossed the threshold.

"Now you've the very same expression of the Grinch, the same smile" Wilson said when he met House in the hall.

"Maybe because I stole something..." he smirked.

_TBC..._


	14. Chapter 14

_Hello =)_

**Chapter 14**

_"Maybe because I stole something..." he smirked._

Wilson shook his head confused, following him who was approaching the elevator.

"What did you steal?" Wilson asked.

The elevator arrived and they got in.

"Something" House answered evasively.

"Something like what?".

"It's a secret" House smirked.

"House" Wilson whined.

"Ok, I'll give you a little hint: it's no one's prescription book".

"Well, at least it's comforting to know it. But it's however wrong that you steal" Cuddy cut in.

House turned around, seeing Cuddy hidden by two other doctors. He turned to the doors again. Wilson smirked.

"It's true that you mixed it up with someone?" Wilson asked after a while.

"I did it to defend your honor".

"He didn't mix it up, but he took some blows. And it happened because of his forked tongue" Cuddy cut in again.

"He's just a crying baby. After all, the furrier was a good job in the nineteenth century".

"Too bad we are in the twenty-first century and you said it to a surgeon!" Cuddy glared at his back.

House got out snorting, going to the clinic and followed by Cuddy.

"I'm going, I'm going. Wilson help me, please. Today the women are insatiable!".

Wilson turned to stare at Cuddy, her eyes widened in surprise.

"Wilson!".

The oncologist was stunned and turned again.

Cuddy turned to House who had a lollipop in his mouth now, reading a file.

"After me, they've lost the mold..." House muttered.

"Thank God!" Cuddy said.

"A great saint but also a great whore, so hesitant and so resolute, so fucking ugly and so damn cute, so well trained and so animal, if I stopped lying, I'd have disappointed you. Look at me as I'm" House said theatrically.

Cuddy went away, glaring at him. House laughed as Wilson grimaced.

"Marlow or Shakespeare?".

"Neither, just an English guy" House disappeared in an exam room with a folder in his hand.

* * *

><p>"Ok, come in" House yelled to the door.<p>

Chase entered the room and House looked at him astonished. He stood up and opened the door quickly, looking for a nurse "No! Not this one!".

"It's-" Chase tried to talk.

"I don't care, I won't touch you not even with my cane" he said quickly.

"Edward doesn't have the heart of Fallot" Chase said, annoyed.

House stared at him speechless.

"The surgeon opened and closed in less than an hour".

House frowned thoughtfully. Chase smiled and he looked at him.

"It's in your office...the surgeon".

House rolled his eyes, exasperated "Perfect, what could be worse than that?" he muttered and moved to the door.

"Cuddy is there too" Chase added.

"When I said worse than that, it was rhetorically. You, you had to do the tax collector not the doctor. You always bring me bad news" House whined, going out and heading to the elevator, followed by Chase.

They didn't talk until they reached his office, where he glared at Martins who still had mask and head set on, leaning against a shelf.

Foreman and Cameron were near the door that connected the two rooms and then there was Cuddy who went to him quickly.

"Behave, please" she threatened him.

"No problem, I don't go around beating people" House said sarcastically, looking at Martins.

Chase raised an eyebrow, sceptic.

"Then we're ok, since I don't book sugeries out of spite" Martins cut in.

"Stop! Dorren is coming here to give us his opinion and so we'll end this absurd situation!" Cuddy said, frustrated.

"What! Come on, he's one hundred-ish years! He will take a lifetime to come down from the fourth floor. In the meantime, my cane will start to sprout!" House whined.

"Dorren is the chief of Cardiology, so he's the best judge! And until he won't cross that threshold, neither of you open his mouth about it!" Cuddy glared at them.

There was silence for a few minutes.

"So, what did you do this weekend?" House asked.

"House!" Cuddy said exasperated.

"What now? You said that we can't talk about the patient, I didn't even know that there was ad Edward Sullivan & co. in the world since last Saturday".

Cuddy glared at him as he looked at her innocently.

"Cameron, tell Cuddy what I'd say to her...without being offensive".

"Give me some Vicodin" Cameron said amused.

House glared at her, she looked at him with her arms crossed over her chest as Foreman laughed.

"I was talking about your godson!" House clarified.

Cameron turned to Cuddy trying to hold back a proud smile "The scintigraphy showed a possible hole in the interventricular septum, not well defined, but seen the symptoms and the response to anticoagulants, it was plausible that we had a case of tetralogy of Fallot" Cameron explained.

"I hope you didn't write the apology letter with this absurd tone! Who'd believe it was me?".

"This explains nothing!" Martins said.

"Have you ever seen that scintigraphy, happy surgeon?" House asked.

"And have you ever seen his heart?".

"I'd have done it but I'm surrounded by good Samaritans!".

"Hello doctors" an old man with a labcoat said from the door.

"It was time!" House said.

Dorren entered slowly, moving in front of the scans. He put on his glasses as House snorted. Dorren looked between the scans and the video of the surgery.

House took two vicodin and Cuddy glared at him.

"Please, feel free to take another two minutes staring at those scans. Do you want to do your retirement party here, in my office?".

"House!" Cuddy stopped him.

Dorren smiled, taking off his glasses "There is not much to say, you're both right".

"We're not in kindergarten, tell him he was wrong and then give him a lollipop to comfort him" House smirked.

"And he has no heart defect at the same time?" Cameron asked, confused.

"No, no, I didn't say it. He doesn't ever had it" Dorren pointed out.

Martins smiled proudly, looking at House.

"However, having the information that had , I'd come to the same conclusion. Perhaps, with a biopsy under stress, we'd have had scans more clearer".

House turned to his team "It's your fault, especially yours" he said to Cameron.

"Really?" Cameron said sarcastically.

"I'd say that a biopsy is inadvisable, almost prohibitive, seen the child's condition especially after a heart attack" Dorren continued.

Cameron smiled back at House while the two doctors, followed by Cuddy, went away.

* * *

><p>House was in front of the whiteboard, bouncing a little ball on the ground.<p>

"Admit it, the problem is not the heart" Foreman said.

"Yes, it is" House answered.

"His heart is healthy and you know it" Chase cut in.

"What now, you two exchange bodily fluids and ideas too? His heart won't be healthy for much longer".

"If you continue to give him anticoagulants, it's for sure" Cameron replied seriously.

"Anticoagulants are good for him".

The three doctors looked exasperated. Foreman snorted, shaking his head; Chase put his head backwards and Cameron stood up nervously.

"Do you have fun saying the opposite of everything we say, right?" Cameron asked.

"Well, it seemed clear by now" House asnwered. He took his cane and went to the door but she blocked his way, hands on hips.

"He needs care!".

"Cuddy pays me for this, as well as for the secret hope that I get drunk and sleep with her. I want an ECG under stress".

"You do it on purpose?" Foreman said frustrated.

"No, someone says it's genetic! I don't care how you'll do it, if by showing him cartoons until he kills himself laughing or showing him how babies are made or making him run around the hospital. I just want it!".

"You are all so stubborn, you only-child?" Foreman said in Chase's ear.

"It's crazy and highly risky" Cameron tried again.

"Here we know why you won't be never good to do the cat" he turned to Chase "The thing about the Tahitian girl of last evening also applies for my lunch break" and then he went to the door.

"What does it mean that you can never do the cat?" Chase asked.

Cameron went out angrily.

"Whay did I say?".

"Surely too much" Foreman smirked.

_TBC..._


	15. Chapter 15

_Hello! =)_

**Chapter 15**

House entered the office of Wilson and started to eat the fruit salad that was on the desk while Wilson stared at him. House sprawled on the couch with the salad in his hands.

"What, this is the_ 'Eat the fruit of Wilson'_ week?" Wilson asked.

"I have never thought to have a theme for each week" House said thoughtfully.

Wilson sighed, starting to eat.

"What have you there?" House asked curiously.

"Eat your fruits and shut up" Wilson answered.

"Hey, Wilson" House said after a while.

The oncologist looked exasperated "What!".

"Crash in a tunnel" House said and opened his mouth still full of fruit.

"Can you be more childish?" Wilson shook his head.

"Of course, If I pretend to be Chase" House answered.

They ate in silence for a few minutes.

"Lucy has said _yes_ to the marriage proposal by Mark" House said.

"Who?".

"Lucy, Mark loves that sexy nurse, but he has already betrayed her with his sister-in-law" House said.

"Who you are talking about?" Wilson said, more confused.

"_'General Hospital'_, what else?" House said, snorting.

"Do you realize that you care more for a stupid soap opera than for what is happening around you in real life?".

"It's not true, I am interested in the same way. Beauty is in the eye of beholder. Otherwise how do you explain that the teenagers get married with the old men? Because they like the money!".

"Chase's shirt" Wilson said after a while.

"What?" House asked confused.

"What color is the shirt of Chase today?".

"And what the heck do I know!".

"Because you don't pay attention".

"I pay attention, but only about the things that interest me. For example, back to the previous subject, I know that Cameron's shirt has tiny white flowers on the collar".

"And how do you know it?".

_'Because I put my tongue in her mouth...No, I can't tell him that'._

"Because I am a careful man. The question is: it's more normal a man who looks at the shirt of another man or a man looking at a woman's shirt?",

Wilson shook his head, confused "How we've ended up in this conversation? Lunch break is a moment to relax, _my_ time to relax!".

"Do you want some update on _'The Bold and the_ _Beautiful'_?".

"No, thanks!".

"Brooke has slept with three generations of men, except for her children. She will be ninety years old when she has to be menopausal. I always wonder where they find those industrial quantities of candles and the time to turn them on before having sex. These are things that make you think..." House said, ignoring him.

"House, please!" Wilson begged him.

"Ok, you're more a '_Lost_' type: the true dilemmas of the island are two, why the fat one doesn't lose weight and how is it possible that women are always hairless while men have a beard?".

"House, shut up!" Wilson ordered.

"Come on, relax, it's lunchtime".

Wilson stared at him angrily "And how can I with you here? Go to Chase!".

"Sorry, already done. It's your turn now".

"Go to Cameron" he sighed.

"No, her time is over too. Now, what do you say of a fight in the mud between Cuddy and Chase? Who wins?".

"House! Shut your mouth for three seconds! Please!".

"We have a problem" Chase said, entering abruptly.

House turned to the door, staring at him.

"Edward has collapsed" Chase continued.

"Thank God" Wilson exclaimed.

Both stared at him in amazement.

"Don't rejoice in misfortunes of the other!" House pointed out.

"If it means you out of here, yes!".

"I'm sorry, th collapse is happening now. Cameron and I were doing the ECG".

"When I said show him how babies are conceived, I was joking. Let's go, Rick Forrester".

Chase followed House outside, shaking his head.

* * *

><p>House entered the patient's room who was having troubles breathing. The CPR had no effect. He put down his fruit and approached the bed as the kid lost consciousness.<p>

"Defibrillator!" Cameron shouted.

"The ECG is still working?" House asked.

"Yes, but-" Cameron said frantically.

"Ok, move" House ordered and stared at the monitors.

"We can't wait!" Cameron took the plates in her hands.

House put his hand on the child's chest, stopping her £You don't want to fry me, right?" House smirked.

Cameron stared at him incredulously. He continued to stare at the values of the ECG.

"Enough now!" Cameron yelled.

"Not yet" House said in the same tone.

She tried to push him away but with poor results since the bed was between them.

"Stop it! He will have a heart attack!" Cameron glared at him.

"Calm down, Cameron! If he dies you can take the satisfaction of saying _'I told you' _to me. I don't allow everyone to do it".

"I don't care!" Cameron moved quickly to his side.

"Do you really hope to stop me phisically?".

"I'm calling Cuddy" Chase announced, running out.

"And the baby runs away!" House mocked him.

"House, stop now! Please...".

He had the impression that there was a sort of pleading in her words. He turned to her for a moment. She was scared and it wasn't only an impression. He shifted his gaze.

"Charge to 200" House ordered.

First attempt.

Nothing.

Second attempt.

Nothing.

Third attempt.

Nothing.

He turned to the cart, slamming some drawers without finding what he was searching.

She tried again with the CPR.

"Move!" House ordered again and shoved her away abruptly.

He went closer to Edward with a large syringe.

"What are you doing!" Cameron yelled.

"It's adrenaline. I saw '_Pulp Fiction_', it will be good for him".

"That dosage is for an elephant!".

"What happenened?" Foreman asked, entering. Chase arrived some moments later.

"Cuddy said you must not lift a finger on Edward" Chase reported, breathless.

House looked at him briefly and then stuck the syringe in the heart of Edward.

The kid opened his eyes suddenly, gasping for air.

House moved away from the bed, leaving room for a visibly worried Cameron. He picked his cane from the end of the bed and the fruit from the nightstand.

"ER is nothing compared to me. Bring the ECG in my office" he went out under the gaze of his shocked team.

Cameron, after making sure that Edward was all right and with the oxygen mask on, rushed out of the room pulling at the sleeve of his jacket.

"You have broken his rib!" she accused him.

"Blame the surgeon, he put his hands in him before me" he smirked.

"He could have brain damages!".

"Luckily, we have a neurologist".

"You could kill him!"

House moved away from her grip and from her, now so close to him.

Foreman and Chase were at the door, watching the scene like most of the staff.

"Stop complaining! Those values are essential for the diagnosis! For once in your life try to see the situation objectively! God, If you never risk a thing you'll never have anything!" House yelled, frustrated. He want away, meeting Wilson in the hall.

"Don't you dare to go in my office, House" Wilson warned him.

House went to his office, ignoring him.

"This time the parents will be furious!" Cameron said.

House turned, smirking "You know where I keep a pen and paper" and disappeared in the office of Wilson.

Cameron stood in the hallway for a moment. Then she looked up and went to the office of Wilson.

"Cameron, stop! It's what he wants!" Chase tried to stop her.

Cameron entered the office and slammed the door.

* * *

><p>"Come on, let me finish! Strawberries are not bad, but the pineapple really sucks" House said, thinking he was talking to Wilson.<p>

"I hate you!" Cameron almost yelled.

House looked up and saw that she was standing in front of the door, breathless as if she had run.

He was sprawled on the chair of Wilson. He stared at her briefly as he did more often than he'd ever admit. Then he returned his gaze on the fruit.

"Tell me something I don't know".

"How can you be so...so...".

"Crazy?".

"Irresponsible".

"You know, the greatest fortune of man that distinguishes him from other animals, it's madness. No madness, no evolution".

Cameron went to him nervously, hands on hips "Then you must be a sort of god because in terms of madness nobody can beat you".

House fidgeted with his fork "You are really so angry for the kid?".

"Tell me what is your problem!".

"You're too optimistic".

"You can't behave like that!".

"We're still talking about the patient?" House looked in her eyes with an unbearable smile on his lips, one of those when he thinks to have things under control.

Cameron moved closer to him again, she couldn't not hate him in that moment.

He turned his chair toward her, staring at her. They were closer than either would realize, otherwise one of them would put some distance.

"Today I feel rhetorical, it always ends that I have to repeat things twice in order that people can understand the concept. So, we return on the talk about the cat and the mouse; instinct, spirit and mind are parts of everyone, but your instinct? Do you have some? That thing that makes you do crazy things sometimes...without taking some drugs to let you go".

"So, you suppose that I am only a God-fearing kid, totally incapable of being uninhibited?" she asked.

House smiled amused, standing up "I don't suppose, it's a fact. As sure as I'm a cripple, as you're a woman and as the sun will rise tomor-".

_..._

"Are you crazy?" he said breathless.

"This is what you wanted, no?".

_TBC..._


	16. Chapter 16

_Thanks =)_

**Chapter 16**

She had him sitting down again with a strong push, approaching him soon after. He didn't know what was happening, or better, he knew it and he was afraid of that.

"It's the office of Wilson" he reasoned.

"I know" she answered, her lips were almost touching his...so close.

House's eyes stared at the door first, then at her and vice versa.

She put a hand on his chest, tilting her head.

"It's still the office of Wilson" he tried again.

_'God please, help me! Please, make her disappear! Now! Now! Do something, move it!'_ he shouted in his head.

She kissed him, softly, then deeper, longer. His tongue sought hers almost mechanically, who responded promptly to this new contact.

_'Ok, in a minute...'._

She let go of him, rubbing against him with the specific intent to provoke him...Succeeding...

He raised his hands to pull her to him but she stopped him, holding his hands on the armrests of the chair, sucking his lower lip.

_'Make it two minutes...'_.

He was completely helpless in that position and she knew it. The only thing he could do was kissing her, smiling. She brushed her lips gently on his neck.

_'To hell the two minutes!'._

She went up from his mouth to his ear, first caressing it with her lips and then gently biting his lobe. When she started to suck on his earlobe, he let out a low moan.

She smiled again, still rubbing against him. She tightened her grip on his hands as he tried to break free.

She knew that she'd get what she wanted.

She returned slowly to his lips, watching him visibly excited and nervous with eyes half-closed. He opened them suddenly.

_'No, this is my game...'_ he thought.

He quickly captured her lips, closing his eyes.

_'Don't look at her...'._

The kisses began to get faster, deeper. Her hands and her body sought a response from his body.

She was going to get what she wanted...she knew it.

Again, she brushed his pelvis with her hips without leaving his lips even If she was starting to realize that she couldn't leave them even If she wanted. But she knew that although it was hard, an addiction could be cured.

One last push of her hips, as If to say goodbye, a sort of signature, and she pulled her head back as he stretched forward to have those lips again.

But she was still blocking him. She caressed his ear with her breath "Who could not do the cat?".

A moment later she was at the door, looking at him satisfied.

He gasped, breathless, sitting in that chair, staring at her visibly excited.

Yes, she definitely got what she wanted.

"Bye House" and she went out, closing the door.

"Where is House, Cameron?" Cuddy asked when she saw her, coming out from the elevator.

She kept walking quietly to the conference room, turning to her before disappearing behind the door "In Wilson's office".

_TBC..._


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

House saw her closing the door and finally realized the situation... "Shit" he whispered.

_'Ok, breathe...'._

"House!" Cuddy said loudly, opening the door of the office.

House looked up startled and immediately moved closer to the desk.

Cuddy approached him with arms crossed, leaning against the desk.

"No! The milk station now, no!" he whined.

"The fact that you apologized doesn't entitle you to commit murder again!".

She was too close with her usual deep neckline. He put his hands on his face, breathing as slowly as possible without looking up.

"Answer! Do you want to take me to the limit?".

"Believe me, you're not the only one in that situation...".

"You're still here! How long do you need to eat a salad!" Wilson said when he entered his office.

House didn't raise his head, continuing to inspire and exhale slowly.

"Look at me when I talk to you, House!" Cuddy yelled.

The diagnostician barely looked up, holding his breath "What do you want?".

"In your office, now!" she ordered.

"Five minutes" he asked.

"No, now!".

He swallowed hard, taking a vicodin "Please".

Wilson went to them annoyed, trying to push him out "House, please. I have to work".

House grabbed the edges of the desk, glaring at his friend, preventing him from turning around his chair "Please, Wilson! You too!" he said through clenched teeth, still staring at him.

Wilson stopped and shook his head, confused.

"Listen House, get out of here. Leave Wilson alone and go to your office and stay there! If you come closer to that patient room again, I-".

House raised his head up, taking a long breath "Franklin, Jackson, Washington, Roosevelt! Ok, let's go!" he stood up suddenly under the incredulous eyes of Wilson and Cuddy and went to the door.

"House, If you enter that room again I'll put you in clinic for the rest of your life!".

"Yadda yadda" he said and left the office, going to his own.

* * *

><p>House entered the conference room where Foreman and Chase were sitting at the table, but his gaze ended up in his office where Cameron was apparently looking for something.<p>

"We have to focus on the lungs after what has happened" Foreman suggested.

"What is she doing?" House asked.

The two doctors turned towards the office of the diagnostician where Cameron was taking something from his backpack. He almost ran in her direction when he realized that she had taken his Game Boy.

She went out quickly and he stopped and passed through the other door, following her down the hall.

"Cameron!".

"I'm busy House, I really can't play with you, maybe later" she said quickly.

House grabbed her by the wrist, turned her to him, face to face. She smiled at him, aware of the influence she had now.

"Still not tired?".

"Give it to me".

Cameron broke free from his grip, entering the room of Edward. House opened the door abruptly.

"House!" Cuddy yelled from behind him.

He turned to her "I just have to take something".

"In your office, now!".

"I need her!".

"She is busy there!".

"But I-".

"No but! I'll be forced to lock you in your office If you don't move away from there now. Don't make it even more difficult for me to watch your back".

House made a face as Cameron smirked and gave the console to Edward.

He went to his office under the watchful eye of Cuddy. He entered the conference room and found Foreman and Chase smirking.

"Search for heart disease" he ordered.

Their smirks vanished as he took the ECG from the hands of Chase.

_TBC..._


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

House decided that the best thing to do was to focus on anything at that moment. After taking the ECG from Chase he entered his office, leaving Chase and Foreman reading the medical encyclopedia.

There was something in that ECG that didn't convince him at all. He hung on the wall the ECGs: at rest, during exercise, during sleep. He turned on his stereo and sat down, studying them.

"Do you think this is a normal behavior?" Chase asked, looking at House from the conference room.

"I don't know but I'm still going with the theory of the lungs, it's more plausible" Foreman said without looking up.

"Yeah, so do I. And again, Dorren said that his heart is ok".

The two doctors looked at their boss, staring at the ECGs.

Cameron entered the room, following their gazes.

House was standing, playing with his ball, bouncing it against the wall.

Foreman noticed her "You stole his Game Boy".

"He will survive, he has three consoles in the backpack. Even if he would, he couldn't use them all together".

Foreman chuckled "This is not the point, you pissed him off and you knew that you'd piss him off, you did it on purpose".

She shrugged and walked to the coffee machine "I've removed Edward from the list for transplant".

"I think of a lung infection, considering the events on the contrary, it's wrong to suppose that the heart attack is a consequence" Foreman explained.

"Something in particular?" Cameron asked curiously.

"Q fever".

"No, if he had Q fever, he'd show hepatitis and his liver'd be destroyed" she argued.

"It takes years to destroy a liver" Foreman said annoyed.

"He has been _ill_ for over a year. He hasn't had _fever_ for a year!".

"Tularemia?" Chase proposed.

"What the hell are you doing here!" House said from the door, staring at them incredulously.

"We were just..." Chase started.

"You are doing the opposite of what I told you to do! Heart! Do you remember that muscle which has a size similar to that of my fist? That is the problem, not the lungs!".

"His heart is good" Cameron said seriously.

House made a face "I'm having a dejà vu...".

"Admit that he's healthy" Cameron said exasperated.

"Well, from the outside my leg is healthy too..." he stopped suddenly.

"If only you...".

House didn't listen to her and went quickly to the elevator. His team looked at each other, puzzled and then followed him to the elevator.

"House? Where are you going?" Foreman asked.

"And what If his heart was pretending to be healthy?".

The doors closed while he smirked.

* * *

><p>House arrived at the clinic, he passed the reception to the waiting room. He stared at the patients, examining them one by one. Most looked down or turned away. He went to a nervous mother with her little daughter, irritated by the look of the diagnostician.<p>

"How old are you?".

"So many!" the little girl answered, raising her hands and showing House how many years she had.

House turned to the mother wide-eyed "Your daughter is six and is still unable to count? I'd start to worry seriously If I were you".

"What do you want?" the mother asked.

"Today is your lucky day, I'm a doctor. Come with me, let's play together" House went to an exam room with the mother and the daughter. He took a machinery and untangled some wires.

"What is that?" the mother asked.

"An electrocardiograph".

"But my daughter is fine".

"I know".

The woman continued to stare at him in disbelief "Are you a real doctor?".

"No, I'm a patient of the department of Psychiatry. I've escaped" he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

"What?".

"I'm kidding, there are cases of heart disease in your family? Someone who died young?".

The woman was visibly stunned "No, but I-".

"The state of New Jersey does random checks on children under the age of ten years every year to prevent heart failure or abnormalities not detected at birth".

_'Wow, I'm almost believing it too'_ he thought.

"O...ok" the mother said worried.

House turned to the girl with the suction cups in hand. She smiled.

"Take off your shirt".

"They will hurt?" she asked, eyeing the suction cups.

"It's like a hickey without the discomfort of having to put a high-necked shirt the next day. Have you ever had a hickey?".

The girl smiled without understanding.

"She's six years old!" the mother said shocked.

He turned to the mother "According to statistics, the last generation has lost their virginity earlier than the previous three years, therefore everything is anticipated. Your daughter is in the age of a hickey".

The mother looked at him astonished as House arranged the cups.

He monitored the child at rest and under stress, then he moved to the door.

"Doctor?".

"What?".

"I'm here because _I_ _have_ a problem, I have a-".

"I'll send a doctor" he answered and exited, meeting Cuddy outside.

"What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.

"I'm not with the kid, I'm behaving and I didn't steal anything".

"Go to your office, now" she ordered.

House got in the elevator, smirking "To me, your office has always inspired sex more than mine, otherwise how do you explain that I'm always with you there?".

* * *

><p>When the doors of the elevator opened, House found his team outside.<p>

"Wow, you have waited for me out here so far?".

He went to his office, with them following him "It's useless, I'd not throw you a stick. I could give you just a scratch behind the ear".

"You're gone for over an hour! Edward is unstable, breathing heavily, you should do something for his lungs" Foreman said seriously.

"The problem is not in his lungs!" House repeated.

He entered his office, with the ECG of the child from the clinic. He placed it under those of Edward.

"Do you realize that for your stubbornness, he's risking a respiratory failure! At the end, he'll really need a heart transplant!" Cameron said angrily.

House wasn't listening, he took a marker and stepped in front of the tracks.

The team looked at each other, not knowing what to do to get his attention.

"House!" Foreman said forcefully.

He turned, snorting "What?".

"His lungs!".

"Ok ok" he took off his jacket and shirt and turned to the tracks again "Get out of my way and don't annoy me!".

"You're really-" Cameron started.

"Oh, and keep going with the anticoagulants and add the antiarrhythmics again" he ordered.

"The therapy for Fallot again?" Chase asked.

"Get out!" House said without answering him.

Foreman went out resigned, followed closely by Chase.

Cameron stayed there, staring at him. House turned to her. They didn't say a word, they only stared at each other hoping to read their own thoughts.

Motionless.

She was with her arms crossed over her chest. He was in front of the wall.

She took a step towards him, but then stopped.

Invasion of personal space...

Like that day in his living room.

She looked down and left his office.

_TBC..._


	19. Chapter 19

_Thanks ^^_

**Chapter 19**

Cameron was in Edward's room while he was sleeping, reading books and magazines.

She looked up to check his values that were weak, but still there they were. They were struggling to return to normal, not for the heart attack however. She heard him sigh and thought how it was possible that someone coud leave his own child alone in a hospital.

She had seen his mother once since he was admitted, and she didn't even know how his father looked like.

She stretched out her legs on the bed, reading her book.

The stubbornness of House had insinuated in her the suspicion that perhaps...the heart...

"Hey, how are you?" Chase asked, entering.

Cameron turned to him, startled " Hey, he's sleeping, but the values aren't returning to normal. However, the drugs are preventing the worst".

Chase went to her, bringing a chair next to her, smiling "I was talking about you, I have the folder of Edward yet. You've been here since yesterday, go and get some sleep. I'll stay with him".

Cameron smiled "No, I'm fine, thanks" but she yawned widely and he smiled.

"I see...".

She smiled, taking off her glasses to rub her eyes "Chase it's ok, I'd rather stay here. I want to see If I can find something tangible that could change House's mind".

He took one of her books, reading it "Try to take his vicodin, tie it with a line and let it dangle in front of his nose. It might get his attention".

Cameron smiled amused, hitting him on the shoulder. Chase turned serious.

"Although I'm sure that you don't need these kind of tricks with him..." he mocked her.

She opened her eyes, hitting him again while he held a hand to defend himself, chuckling.

"Am I wrong?".

"Do you think that House ever listen to me?".

"No, but maybe If you..." Chase gave her a strange look.

Cameron smiled embarrassed "What are you trying to say?".

"Nothing, just that I'm sure that If he knew you like I know you...".

"And how do you know me?".

"Excuse me" said a nurse from the door.

They turned to her immediately.

"We're not done. Yes?" Cameron said.

"Is this the room of Edward jr. Sullivan?".

"Yes, why?".

"I've to transfer him in Pediatrics".

The two doctors looked at each other blankly.

"There must be a mistake, this is a patient of " Cameron explained.

"No mistake. called us for the transfer. He's no longer his patient".

Cameron was puzzled and turned to Edward who was still sleeping.

"Can you give us a moment before you transfer him?" Chase asked, sensing the thoughts of Cameron.

"Well doctor, it's seven o'clock for everyone here, I just want to transfer him and clean up the room. Nothing personal, really, but-".

Chase stood up showing off a beautiful smile "I'm sure that there is a mistake. probably misunderstood, lately he's distracted. Give me the folder".

The nurse didn't give him the folder as Chase kept smiling.

"I've three sons, you give me that smile and I make a fried chicken. I've been working here for seven years and one single distraction, as you called it, hasn't ever happened with . And it's so since before the cane. Now, do me the favor to let me do my job and anyway, they're resigning him" the nurse explained.

Cameron felt her blood froze in her veins and went out immediately, bumping into Foreman.

"Where is the fire?".

"House has resigned Edward".

* * *

><p>House was in his office, putting away the ECG and other things before leaving.<p>

Cameron walked in, throwing open the door, startling him.

Then, he looked down "Last but not least, here we've Allison Cameron".

"You have resigned him?".

"I didn't resign him, I've transferred him in another department, it's different".

"Why?".

Foreman and Chase entered in that moment.

"They have taken the kid in Pediatrics" Foreman announced.

"So not all the nurses are silly! Where did you want to bring him? Geriatrics?".

"Why?" Cameron repeated.

House turned to her, she was visibly upset. He stayed in silence for a while.

"The heart of Edward-" he started.

"His heart is fine!" Foreman cut in.

House glared at him "Edward's heart is apparently normal, indeed, according to the theories it's so...He has a functional abnormality of repolarization, according to others it's a genetic factor or a malfunction due to a disorder of the sodium channel SCN5A. Whether you like one or the other, I can't do anything in any case, it's incurable" House yelled.

Cameron lowered her head, almost breathless.

Chase leaned against the wall.

Foreman moved closer to the diagnostician, still incredulous "No wait, the Brugada syndrome is complex to diagnose and the genetic basis isn't one hundred percent sure. And then again-".

"His EKG is equal to eighty per cent of cases" House stopped him.

"They're minor differences, you can't-" Chase tried.

"I've compared his to a healthy heart. He has the Brugada syndrome and he will stay in Pediatrics until the parents decide what to do" he said almost defeated.

"What kind of speech is that?" Cameron stepped towards him, her eyes wet, that green shade blown away abruptly.

He didn't move, didn't answer her, he just stared at her open-mouthed, not knowing what to say...Also because there was nothing to say...

"He will stay there until the parents, who have never been here in these four days, decide If he's going to die here or at home?" Cameron said with low voice.

"Yes" House answered.

Cameron was staring at a point behind his shoulder, between the desk and the window. They knew that she'd break at any moment. She was gasping, like when you run, but no tears came down...

Chase reached out to her, stroking her arm but she dismissed him, leaving the office as quickly as possible.

House picked up his backpack and put it on his shoulder "One of you will call the parents, I've disliked them since the first day".

"And what about Cameron?" Chase asked.

House was at the door and turned to the two doctors who were waiting for an answer. He grimaced, staring at the carpet.

"Yeah, what about Cameron..." he raised his head again "Well I don't know, what do you want me to do? Do you want me to go to her to dry her tears and tell her that everything will be fine and that Edward won't suffer and you'll surely find a treatment in the few months he has left to live? I'm a god in lying, but no, I think I will pass this time! It will pass, she'll move on, it's your job, it's hers, you are doctors. People die every day, you must learn to live with it and If you can't, I can't do anything" he said angrily and left the office, going to the elevator.

"You call the parents, I'll go to Cameron" Chase said after a while.

_TBC..._


	20. Chapter 20

_Thanks =)_

**Chapter 20**

Chase entered the dressing room hesitantly and saw her sitting on a bench, her back to the door; she kept on rubbing her face, probably because she had been crying.

"Go away, Chase" she whispered.

"How long have you been a psychic?".

"It could be just you, House would amputate his other leg before going to comfort a person and Foreman is like him more than he'd ever admit".

Chase sat on the bench not far from her, trying not to look at her. It bothered him when someone looked at him in a vulnerable state, and so he didn't want to embarrass her.

"So, we are the only two immune to Gregory House?" he smirked.

Cameron smiled slightly but then turned serious again "Maybe, I don't know, sometimes you also behave like him".

"I will take it as a compliment, thanks".

Cameron tormented her labcoat as Chase looked around, not knowing what to say.

"Look, If you wan, I can call Foreman and we can go to get a beer, forgetting this bad day. What do you say?" he proposed.

"No, but thanks..." she shook her head.

"Ok, I've to complete some folders for _our lord_. If you change your mind, you know where to find me" Chase stood and went to the door awkwardly. He felt that he had to say something else. He stood in the doorway for a moment, then decided to go out.

"Do you think that it's wrong?" she asked before he closed the door.

"No..." he answered after a while.

"If I had allowed him to do a biopsy first..." her voice broke.

Chase returned to her and knelt down in front of her "Listen, it's not your fault, nor anyone else. Even the cardiologist hadn't noticed it, this is a disease of which we still know very little, House had an epiphany and maybe...maybe they will make more results in research and-".

Cameron looked up, smiling "See, now you are treating me like a Red Cross nurse...".

Chase looked down "I didn't mean it, it's just that Edward has showed to be strong, research is making giant steps, he comes from a wealthy family, he'd have all the experimental treatments at his disposal...".

"Thanks..." Cameron smiled for a moment, then Chase stood up and went to the door.

"The proposal of the beer is always valid and again, we still need to finish that speech".

Cameron smiled, watching him leave.

* * *

><p>House was sitting on the hood of Wilson's car, knowing that he'd be out from the hospital at any moment. He looked up at the sky, watching the clouds of steam created by his open mouth breathing.<p>

"I heard of Edward" Wilson came behind him, opening the door of the car.

"Obviously, a creature is feeling bad and James Wilson has more sensitive hearing of Superman".

Wilson sat down next to him, rubbing his hands to warm them "Don't belittle Superman, I love him. How did she take it?".

"I don't know, I didn't know your passion for the man in tights. Then again, If he's so intelligent why he put his underwear over his pants?".

Wilson shook his head "God, it's very cold out there! I'm going home, If you move".

"End of conversation!".

"You're avoiding my attempts to build a conversation!" Wilson said frustrated.

"Ok...Angelina Jolie or Nicole Kidman?".

Wilson stood up, opening the door again "'Night House".

"Come on! What you are going to do? Speed away with me on the hood?".

"You are already a cripple, no one would notice the difference".

House didn't move and Wilson went to him annoyed.

"Although it may seem stupid to you, it happens that the doctors show their feelings towards their patients, because despite everything, we are human! Cameron is an excellent doctor".

House came down from the hood, going to his bike "Cameron is a bad doctor, until she won't stop wetting the forehead of the patients! You don't realize that all this humanity to them sooner or later will kill all of you!".

"Well, you two are opposites in this, you are the inhumanity personified with patients, you say that she will be killed by her attitude...but between the two, the one they shot it's you not her" Wilson got into the car without giving him time to say something.

House was in the middle of the parking lot, astonished for a moment. Then, he kept walking to his bike.

* * *

><p>"Do something".<p>

House cut the engine, observing a chilly Cameron without a coat on in the middle of the road, which prevented him from leaving the parking lot.

"I can't do anything".

"There are experimental treatments, the heart transplant is a good choice. You could convince Cuddy".

House took off his helmet "No surgeon would operate a child suffering from an incurable disease and no medical commission would put him on the list for a transplant. Now, move".

"You have done it before, you have reduced a cancer on a patient" she argued weekly.

"It's not the same! Cancer can be cured, not always, but it can happen, the Brugada syndrome has no cure; with a new heart it wouldn't change anything, he'd just return to the starting point in a month, maybe two".

"But he'd have two more months" Cameron looked at him, red cheeks still streaked with tears, chilled now more than before. Her eyes, the eyes that were no longer the same and he couldn't look at them; they were wasted, they weren't hers and he didn't like it at all.

"Two months of hell between anti-rejection treatments and experimental drugs for Brugada, because exists only this, nothing else" he did everything to look at her as little as possible.

"Just do something..." she begged him again.

House closed his eyes, he felt a knot in his stomach, one that took his breath away. She was begging him to do something for someone else. But he wasn't able to do something even for himself. He had to go away from there as soon as possible. He turned the keys in the ignition.

"Cameron, go home".

"Please".

She stopped his movement on the clutch, withdrawing her hand soon after. When her eyes stared at him, he looked at her almost angrily. But she told herself that she often misunderstood those eyes and he had never justified himself for those glances.

"This is the problem, now you feel the weight of the world on you; you feel helpless and incapable. You can't give away yourself in this way, you are exhausted and it makes you weak".

Cameron froze, staring angrily at him. There was no other way to look at him in that moment. He knew that deep down, when he had got that look from her, he had managed once to keep her away from that wall built with such difficulty. He knew that now it no longer mattered to her after the revenge she had taken in Wilson's office. Now she was angry with him, that was enough to send her home.

"It's not a crime, you know! Wanting to be close to someone who suffers, it isn't as reprehensible as you think! Having someone close to you is good!" she almost yelled.

House put on his helmet, without looking at her and turned on the bike.

Cameron stared at him, shocked. But why then? He had been definitely a thousand times more evil other times.

"Go home..." he sped away without her doing anything to stop him.

She stared for a moment at her car parked nearby and sighed deeply, there was the smell of snow in the air. She turned and entered the hospital, determined.

_TBC..._


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

"Where is she?" an irritated House asked to his team, turning from the whiteboard "So?" he repeated

"Well, she is..." Chase started.

"Shut up! You're only able to invent pathetic excuses to cover yourself. I doubt that Cameron has delegated you as her spokesman. Foreman?".

"As you can see by yourself, she's not here" Foreman said annoyed.

House took his cane from the board and went to the exit "You're a bunch of incapable! It would have been better if I had taken three monkeys for you! She's certainly in the dying kid's room! Again! And I'm wasting my time again!" and with that he closed the door loudly.

"Good morning to you too, House" Foreman snorted.

* * *

><p>House went to the elevators.<p>

"You're not going to yell at her again, right?" Wilson asked from behind his back.

"She's one of my employees and I do what I want to her" House answered without turning.

He got in the elevator, leaving his friend on the floor.

* * *

><p>Two weeks had passed after the diagnosis of Edward but despite this, she continued to visit him. It had left him indifferent for the first two days, irritated for the next four and unnerved at the end of the first week.<p>

Now he was far from dealing with it '_professionally_' as Cuddy had suggested last Friday.

_'To hell with the professionalism, I'll go there and drag her by the arm If necessary!'_ he thought.

House stepped out along the familiar corridor and swallowed a rare Vicodin.

Cuddy's theory was that because he was angry with Cameron, he'd not notice that he had less pills than other times.

Indeed, that moment was a new perfect reason to take revenge on his immunologist.

He stopped at the corner of the hallway, staring at her sitting in the room. She spent every free minute in that room, which meant that often she was late.

_"Are you plagiarizing me, House?" Cameron asked._

_"I'm training you, Cameron" he answered._

_'Well done! Really...and you're happy now?' he thought._

_House snorted nervously, the little boy was getting worse. He had to keep her away from there for the good of all._

* * *

><p>Cameron was sitting next to Edward, who was sleeping. He slept a lot, and when he was awake he was weak, everyday. It was inevitable after all, it was almost surprising that he was still alive at 5 years old.<p>

She fell back against the chair and kept reeding her journal until a voice interrupted her.

"Hi, Mom is gone?" the boy asked sleepily.

"Yeah, but she said that she'll come back tomorrow" Cameron answered smiling.

"Will you read me the book of yesterday?" he asked innocently.

Cameron smiled, sometimes those big blue eyes lit up again...briefly, too briefly, but when it happened it warmed her heart.

_'I wonder If House's eyes do it too. Hey, what the hell do you think?'_ she thought.

"Ally?".

"Sure, give me the book" she smiled.

Edward handed her the book that was on the bedside table and she started reading.

"When I'll go home, Ally?" Edward asked after a while.

Cameron looked up, not knowing what to say. She knew that that question would come up sooner or later but she couldn't answer and she thanked Heaven for that, because in her heart she didn't want to answer.

"I don't know Eddie, they want to try other treatments" she tried to explain.

"But I'm bored here. I want to play with Buch!" he exclaimed.

"And do you want to leave me here all alone for your dog?" she feigned hurt.

Edward smiled, snuggling under the sheets while Cameron was trying to tickle him.

"Ok, I'll stay!".

Cameron stretched on the bed next to him, retrieving the book that had fallen on the floor.

"So where were we with Jim Button?" she asked.

"After they gave him the name!" he answered.

"Ok, then... He became a real young man and with his jokes he angered Mr. Sleeve because he didn't want to wash himself, like all the other kids after all; but he said that because he was black, he couldn't see If his neck was clean or not ".

"No, no you read this yesterday! We were where he gets his surname!" Edward pouted and she tickled him, making him smile.

She liked being with him there, paradoxically those were sad and funny moments at the same time.

"Excuse me! Let's see...It remains to be told how he got his surname, so: Jim always had a hole in his trousers and always at the same point; Mrs. Whaat had already patched it a lot of times, but after a few hours it was there again. Jim tried to be careful, but when he had to climb up a tree or slide down by the peak, _ZUFF_, the hole was there again. Eventually, Mrs. Whaat found the solution and sewed a hem around the hole and attached a button that he could close the hole and instead of pulling it out, it could be unbuttoned and instead of being mended, it could be buttoned. Since that day, Jim was called by all the people of the island Jim Button ".

"Uhm...excuse me?" Foreman said from the door.

Cameron looked up, turning to him.

"Do you wash your neck?" Edward asked curiously.

Cameron laughed while Foreman looked puzzled.

"What?" he asked.

"Whaat!" Edward answered.

Foreman stared at Cameron who was hardly trying to contain her laughter.

"House is looking for you, we have a case and he wants you there" Foreman informed her after a while.

Cameron put down the book, standing up.

"No! I want more!" Edward pouted.

"I must go now Eddie, but I'll be back" she said smiling.

"Do you want to keep her all for yourself?" Foreman joked.

Edward looked at him, shrugging.

"Bye, see you later" Cameron waved.

"We'll eat together!" Edward smiled.

"Ok" she rolled her eyes playfully.

"Are you sure that you're five years old?" Foreman asked.

Cameron dragged Foreman away by his sleeve, smiling amused.

_TBC..._


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

"Sure Mr. Finley, it will be a pleasure...No doubt...I believe it too" Cuddy said on the phone.

"I want her in my office!" House yelled, entering her office.

Cuddy left the pen with which she was scribbling on her agenda during one of the most important phone calls for the hospital. She looked up to him, standing in front of her: same shoes, same jeans, one of his usual ten shirts, one of his usual five jackets, same expression like someone who is angry with the whole world, same hold on his cane.

"I'm not kidding! I'm far beyond my usual limit of endurance!" he sais angrily.

_'He's talking about his vicodin or Cameron?...Probably both...'_ Cuddy thought.

"House, I'm on the phone and because of you. Come again in an hour" Cuddy whispered and took her hand away from the receiver "As I was saying..." she started again.

He approached her desk, slamming his cane on it "I want your attention now!".

Cuddy sighed, trying to stay calm "Excuse me Mr. Finley" she moved the receiver from her ear "House, please get out of here immediately, come back in an hour and I'll be with you...Mr. Finley?".

House sat down, pulling from his pocket a pack of cards.

Cuddy looked at him puzzled.

_'What is that he hasn't in those pockets?'_ she thought.

Cuddy focused on her phone call.

House started the construction of a castel of cards on the desk, occupying the most part of the table. She was trying very hard to ignore him but when he began to juggle with antistress steel balls, threatening to break everything, she began to get nervous. Then, House began to use a letter opener as a catapult with balls of paper...target: the neckline of the woman before him.

"Listen Mr. Finley, I'll call you later because a child has broken in my office. I'm sorry again" and she abruptly dropped the phone, staring angrily at House, who basked in the fact that his wait had decreased from sixty to ten minutes.

"House, whay do you want!".

House put down the cards, but not before making one last throw with the catapult.

"House?".

"She is still there!" he pointed out the door and Cuddy looked behind the diagnostician without understanding "She is mine! I want her back!".

Cuddy smirked, rubbing her temples while the diagnostician began to wander around the office nervously.

"Assuming you're talking about Cameron, and ignoring your second misogynist sentence, I don't think she isn't doing her job here, unlike someone else...".

"She is always with the infant!".

"Edward" she corrected him.

"Whatever, the fact is that she is always there. You have to do something, and now!" he whined.

Cuddy laughed "I should do something? And what exactly? Manage her spare time for instance? I'm not her mother".

"I'm not jealous about this treatment, you can use it with her too" he smirked.

"What is the real problem? Perhaps she doesn't come to work?" she asked.

"No" he sighed.

"She refuses to fulfill her duties?" Cuddy asked again.

"No but-".

"I see her in the clinic as usual, as always, doing your turns too, as always".

"But she's not here!" he yelled.

"Don't yell at me, House!" she warned him.

"Ok mom. I pay for a full-time immunologist, nothing less!".

"She is not yours! And you don't pay her" she corrected him.

House tapped nervously his cane on the floor while Cuddy glared at him for his outburst.

"I have explained myself badly, I'll be more clear. It's like having half Cameron! A half, the physical one, is in the office, sitting between the herbivore with pointed ears and the chocolate battering, the other half, the mental side, is with golden curls! I need both together in one place!".

"I thought you had aired her because of her good looking".

"And for the brain".

"And what should I do?".

There was always a moment in their discussions in which the tones of voice became obsolete...like in that moment.

"Something! Before _I_'ll do something".

"Will you fire her?".

"No! Why? She'd be here however...She'd find another way to tire me out. You have to force her not to stay there, try to quarantine the Department of Pediatrics, a sticker on the door of Junior for risk of bacterial epidemic, or more simply, forbid all women to go to Pediatrics, so she won't get suspicious!".

Cuddy shook her head. She couldn't deny that House was right, but she had no idea how to get her away from there..."You have some ideas, workable ideas?".

"Put her on forced vacation" he proposed.

Cuddy smiled at the idea "Who? Cameron? But if she returned a week before her summer vacation was over to help here! Maybe it'd work with the guys and with you".

House rolled his eyes "Do you think is viral? That being a nurse is transmitted by saliva?" he feigned terror.

Cuddy looked at him puzzled "No, House. You are so strange these days".

House didn't listen to her, swaying slowly from left to right, staring into space with the cane under his chin "You always try to throw me somewhere".

"I have higher expectations..." she answered bitterly.

He rolled his eyes again "I'm your obsession, right? Anyway, send her to some lecture that I should do, something like that; a seminar, conferences where you sit and the guy in the back of the room uses a projector, so you can keep the light off and people can mind their own business...like how to beat the records of _Snake_ on the phone".

"You'd do these things, I don't think that Cameron, God forbid, is a man with beard and cane".

He rolled his eyes "I do not have long hair just because she is jealous".

"I'll see what I can do, obviously there are refresher coursers that I didn't even dare to propose to you not to deprive you of one of your favorite pastime" she sighed.

"A place accessible only by plane, possibly a women-only".

"Ok! Now, go!" she said frustrated.

She dialed the previous phone number again, signing some papers in the meantime. She heard the unmistakable noise of his cane. She looked up, seeing that House was staring at her thoughtfully. She hung up.

"What now?".

"I have a personal matter".

"And what about Cameron?".

House looked at her frowning "Work".

"Rigjt. However, what do you want?".

"About myy vicodin..." he began.

"Have a good day House" she interrupted him immediately and returned on her papers.

"No way! You gave me only four pills, there must be some mistake, I had six two weeks ago" he protested.

Cuddy rubbed her temples again and then smiled "No mistake, House, that is your daily dose from now on. I don't want to see a squad of policemen here, led by Tritter, putting the seal on my hospital" she said seriously, signing the papers without looking at him.

"The chronic pain part must be escaped from your attention while reading my file! It hurts!".

"Take a vicodin".

"I have three Vicodin! I want more! It's not fair! You're getting revenge for Wilson!".

Cuddy glared at him, knowing that he just wanted to provoke her.

"Do you think that my office is the office of the complaints? Go to your patient, I'll promise you that Cameron will be in the office waiting for you" she picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"I want my fucking pills!" he almost shouted.

"Yes, I'm Lisa Cuddy and I'm looking Mr. Finley" Cuddy said to the phone.

"It hurts!" House tried again, almost breathless.

Cuddy covered the phone with her hand "You'd have thought better before using the Vicodin as the only way to solve all your problems. Now get out of here or I'll give _you_ the forced vacations!...Mr. Finley!".

House went out nervously, slamming the door, knowing that he had lost this round.

_TBC..._


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

House got in the elevator, bumping against most of the other occupants. He was willing to resume possession of Vicodin and Cameron, for the good of Cameron, it would be better that this didn't happen in that order.

"I gather you're not going to destroy her again" Wilson said from behind him.

"I gather you are adulterer and talkative and prophet".

The oncologist stood beside him when the others got down.

"When you make her cry, then you are inexplicably relaxed".

"I do not make her cry!".

"Yeah, whatever".

"Not as often as you say, at least" House added.

They stayed in silence staring at the doors.

"I need more Vicodin" House said after a while.

"I'm not your pharmacy" Wilson answered calmly.

"It hurts a lot today" he said forcefully.

"It hurts everyday. With the amount of Vicodin that you swallow, they'd make a limited series dedicated to you" Wilson answered hotly.

House gave up, grimacing "I want a milkshake" he pouted.

Wilson turned to his friend "You are this way about everything? Possessive and selfish?".

"And I want it of strawberry".

"Probably it's because you are an only child, but you're this way also with women?".

"And I want it maxi, half-liter".

Wilson got out of the elevator, chuckling and looking back, expecting to see House at his side and instead he found him in the elevator.

"House?".

"Pediatrics is upstairs".

The doors closed and Wilson turned to the Diagnostics' office where his team was waiting for House.

* * *

><p>House went to Edward's room, looking around, knowing that the nurses were, If it was possible, more 'open-mouth' than Wilson and they'd go to warn Cameron.<p>

He entered the room where the boy was sleeping. He saw his Game-Boy on his bedside, grinning he approached it. He felt a cramp in his thigh and sat down immediately on a chair, rubbing his leg.

"You can take it, I can't play" Edward said, now awake.

House glared at him "I don't need your permission, it's mine".

Edward looked at him as he rubbed his leg and pulled out the orange phial, throwing three pills on his hand and then swallowing them.

"They are three" he pointed out.

"A mathematical genius, where is your better half?".

Edward looked at him blankly, his head tilting to the left.

"The doctor who lives with you in this room" House rolled hie eyes.

"Alli!" Edward smiled widely.

"Call her as you prefer...I'm sure she'd prefer Red Nurse. So where is she?".

"She had to do something. She went away with her friend".

"The blonde who is in love with her or the big black and bad?".

Edward laughed, the laughter that only children have "Not the blond".

"Ah well, chocolate came to ask for help with the analysis..." House muttered to himself.

"But he's not bad" Edward said.

House took another Vicodin and unwrapped a lollipop, resting his legs on the bed "And I imagine that this pearl of wisdom comes from our common friend, am I right?".

"We talk a lot".

"Fantastic".

He began to play with the Game-Boy, Edward stared at him confused. The diagnostician looked up at him.

"What do you want?".

"You don't have to talk with your mouth full".

"I'll tell you a secret, you can do whatever you want when you can touch your nose with the tip of your elbow".

Edward tried once, of course, without success. House chuckled, focusing on the console.

"And what do you talk about?" House asked after a while.

"Everything! Games, sweets, friends. She said thay you are sad".

House looked down at that sentence "I'm not sad, I'm tired".

"Will you read me my book?" Edward asked hopefully and took the book out from under the pillow. House looked at the cover.

"No" he sighed.

"Why?" Edward pouted.

"Because no".

"Because no is not an answer".

House put down the console, getting impatient "But don't you ever shut up?".

Edward shrugged, handing him the book.

"Look at my lips Edward Sullivan Junior, I'll tell you one thing you've heard very little during your brief life: NO!".

Edward's eyes widened, the book left on the bed, tormenting his pajamas. House returned on his console.

"It's because you cannot read?".

House rolled his eyes "Oh lord, but what do I have to do to make you shut up?".

"Read me the story" Edward smiled.

"No! Are you happy, I've already read that book! If you want, I can tell you how it ends!".

Edward put it on the bedside table, pulling his knees close to his chest "No, Alli will read it to me, she does the voices for every character".

"You're the luckiest man in the world then".

He returned to his game as the little boy crawled up to him, looking at his shoes "I like your shoes".

"Good, I won't give them to you".

"Tell me a story".

"I don't know a story to tell you".

"Every adult knows a great story to tell!" Edward protested.

"I don't know stories that I can tell you" House repeated.

"I'll like them all, why do you have a cane?".

House put down the console sighing exasperated "OK, If I'll tell you a story then you stop with this constant whining of questions?".

"Yes, but you have to tell me why you have a cane first" he pointed to the cane.

"I'm not here to bargain with a child of five years, ask your Alli, she will tell you a beautiful story".

"Then give me one of your candy".

"No! Listen, why don't you read your book by yourself and I'll listen?".

Edward looked at him with a puppy look "I can't read...".

"It's never too late to learn" he winked.

"Will you teach me?" Edward smiled.

"No! I tell you this story and then you'll shut up and I play, and neither of us opens his mouth again until I get out of here, deal?" he stretched out his hand.

Edward nodded, smiling and shaking his hand.

House fell back in his chair, thinking about what to tell him. He grimaced a few times while he played with his bottom lip "The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday".

Edward looked at him puzzled, before smiling "But this is not a story!".

"Learn to be more precise when you ask for something".

"Another!".

"We had an agreement, now shut up" House pulled out his Game-Boy again.

"The room is mine" he frowned.

The two stared at each other, the kid smiled amused and then turned toward the door.

"Alli!".

Cameron looked astonished at '_her_' chair.

"He told me a funny story" Edward said.

"Don't tell it too loud" he turned to her "You did the blood test?".

"Yes, normal parameters, the red blood count isn't out of the media".

"And the gastric biopsy?".

Cameron looked up at Edward, frowning, he was staring at House. Edward touched him on the forehead, the diagnostician turned glaring at him but Edward didn't move away.

"You have a lot of wrinkles and my eyes are more beautiful".

The immunologist barely restrained herself from laughing while House glared at her.

"You shouldn't Cameron, I only have two vicodin" House said seriously.

"I was looking for you for the biopsy" she composed herself.

House got up and left the room, followed by her.

"Bye doctor! Will you be back?" Edward shouted.

"When you can touch your nose with the tip of your elbow!" House answered from outside.

_TBC..._


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

House was sitting in his office reading some papers and drumming his fingers on the desk. He saw the light turning on in the other room and hoped that it was her, he wished that it was her.

He rose from his chair and looked inside, being able to see just a silhouette. He decided to go in.

Chase stood there, fumbling with the coffee machine. He felt a presence behind him and turned to see his boss looking at him in disgust.

"What are you doing here? You are not supposed to be home?" House asked, glaring at him.

"I've to monitor the therapy of Mr. Ellins" Chase answered, confused.

"It's Cameron's responsability..." House pointed out.

Chase knew that he had ruined their cover. He tried to say something but nothing came out from his mouth.

"So?".

"Edward had a painful crisis and has suddenly got worse, so...".

House didn't wait for him to finish the sentence and went out. Chese went out too, following him.

"House! Leave her alone, it's not a problem for me to be here!" he tried to stop him.

House disappeared in the elevator without answering.

* * *

><p>House arrived in front of the patient's room with an anger that was senseless even for him, dragging his right leg that just couldn't stand that day anymore. Because of it, he was forced to stop, taking a breath and rubbing his tired face.<p>

_'I hate the abstinence...'_ he thought.

He peeked inside the room and she was at the bedside of Edward, now intubated. He knew it and she knew it'd happen and he could get worse at any moment. Unfortunately, the worsening was not slow.

He sighed loudly, leaning against a wall. He swallowed hard and looked at her one last time. He was sure that often she had allowed a tear to slide down her face after a particularly bitter joke, but the fact was that he had never seen her cry. He remembers that time when she was "calibrating the centrifuge".

_'God, she doesn't know how to lie!'_ he thought.

She was more or less in the same situation, except now she was looking at that lifeless little body in front of her.

It's enough...

* * *

><p>House went to Cuddy's office as she was arranging some files.<p>

"Ah, House, I was coming up to you. I've found something that could keep Cameron busy" Cuddy said.

House left some papers on the desk and she took them.

"Chad? And what she said?" Cuddy looked at him shocked. He was impassive as ever.

"Ad Am Timan, to be exact. You see for yourself that there is her signature there" House answered.

"I see, I mean, don't you think it's too much? After all, you want her away from that child for not suffering, but why are you sending her in a refugee camp in Africa?".

House was getting nervous "I've never said that I want to send her away for not suffering! I want her out of there because she's not the same anymore! She refused to take some time away, I suggested this and she accepted. If you are not convinced, ok, I'll propose to her what you have in mind!" he moved to take his papers again but Cuddy stopped him.

"No, If you think it might be good for her, I'll trust you. In the end, you know her better than me and again, she's agreed with it" Cuddy sighed.

House nodded "Perfect. About my Vicodin?".

"Goodnight House" Cuddy went out and the diagnostician stayed there motionless.

"It won't be without it!" he yelled to her retreating form.

She waved at him while she was already in front of the doors of the hospital.

* * *

><p>House entered the hospital limping more than usual. And he was emphasizing his walk so that the nurses'd notice him.<p>

"Tell me that you haven't done it! Please, tell me!" Wilson almost yelled from behind him, stopping what looked like to be a cheerful conversation with a nurse.

House had been doing up and down in front of Cuddy's office to be noticed by her and she had noticed him, but she was trying to be indifferent.

"For heaven's sake, answer me!".

"We met in a bar, she insisted so much...Ah, she told me to say _'hi'_".

Wilson shook his head while House went to the elevators.

"What the hell are you saying?".

"Why? What do you mean?".

"You've sent Cameron overseas because you aren't able to open your mouth without teasing her!".

"Oh that! I thought that you were talking about me and Sarah, your second ex-wife".

Wilson thought about his sentence for a while "Hey, wait a moment, my second-right, mature House. And by the way, you can't forge my signature" he sighed deeply.

They arrived at their floor.

"What can I say, I sucked at domestic economy" he shrugged.

"Only the females had domestic economy".

"In fact, why on earth should I have done technical applications with a bunch of men? I'm not gay or a prisoner" House, who had managed not to answer the question, limped to the conference room, finding Chase and Foreman there.

"The point is that-" Wilson started again.

"You can be more bastard than that! But what I've done to you!" Cameron yelled, entering.

"You make her angry..." Wilson completed his sentence.

House and Cameron stared at each other for a moment. Chase and Foreman were beginning to feel uncomfortable in their chairs.

"Answer me!".

"Huey, Dewey and Louie, go away; Uncle Donald and Daisy Duck have to talk here".

Chase and Foreman went out quickly, followed by Wilson who was glaring at House.

"Ok, what do you want to know?" House said to Cameron, turning serious.

_TBC..._


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

"What?" Cameron asked, astonished.

House was filling his cup of coffee. She took a few steps forward and then stopped again.

"Yeah I mean, they're all comforting you as if you were a bereaved widow. Tell me what I have to say and get it over with" he sighed, rolling his eyes.

Cameron approached him quickly "You have forged my signature! You are sending me to Africa against my will for over a month!" she yelled.

"I'd say that we are equal now".

The immunologist folded her arms across her chest "It's a game for you, right? You never think of hurting someone?" she asked.

"You agreed with this thing too. I think thay you enjoyed your time in Wilson's office" he answered hotly.

"I wasn't talking about that!".

The diagnostician rolled his eyes, smirking "Sure...and I'm wearing colored contact lenses".

"I won't go to Africa" she said categorically and turned to the door, fuming.

"You'll go, in a week, I've sent the papers yet".

"I went to Cuddy and I said what you did" she turned again.

"I know, you are still my little Cameron..." he smirked.

Cameron arrived just a few inches from his nose while he was finishing the coffee.

"Well done House! Compliments, your stupidity is directly proportional to your abstinence! Tritter have been breathing down your neck, you shouldn't even double park!".

He looked at his shoes.

"And then, I'm not _your little_ Cameron!" she pointed out.

"There is no need to get angry" and went to his office "Let him die in peace...".

"What did you say?" she glared at him.

"You heard me very well, go away and let him die in peace" he repeated seriously.

"How can you be so inhumane?" she asked with tears in her eyes.

Her tone wasn't angry, she was strangely calm and that made him snap and turn around abruptly. He went to her, feeling a lot of pain in his leg.

"Listen to me, though you yearn for wearing the pain of others, you can't! For Christ's sake! You can hold his hand all you want but nothing will change! He's going to die anyway! Same thing goes for the pain, it's personal and it belongs only to that person!".

Cameron was about to burst into tears once again in two weeks, so that House'd take the whim to look at her crying again. But with inhuman strength, which he had always envied, she stopped her tears and kept staring at him. She knew that her voice'd come out shaking, but it didn't matter.

"Dying alone is a choice, such as the one to suffer. I know perfectly well that holding his hand won't heal him, but I just hope that doing it may help him to suffer less, even If only for a moment...".

House kept staring at her "You are so naive...".

In that moment, she felt a stab in the heart. She put a hand on her chest as if to protect herself, while the other hand, almost like a conditioned reflex, hit House on his cheek. She felt her hand tingling after the slap.

He didn't move, he just grimaced and went to his office "Not everyone wants to be saved".

* * *

><p>House was sitting on his couch, staring at the TV. Someone knocked on the door repeatedly. He stood up, snorting annoyed.<p>

"Why the hell do you knock everytime? You still have my keys!".

"I have a surprise for you" Wilson smirked.

"Really?" he looked outside his door, looking for someone "I don't see strippers...Ok, tonight I can have homosexual tendencies if you give me some Vicodin".

Wilson came in smirking, taking off his coat and scarf.

"No thanks, unlike you, I haven't hit the bottom yet".

He sat down on the couch next to House and began to observe him: stonewashed jeans, red wrinkled t-shirt, he skipped the hair, the comb? He thought that House didn't even know what it was.

"So, my surprise?" House asked.

Wilson handed him a beer that he had in a bag at his feet and House took it reluctantly.

"Ah...thanks. Well I have the fridge full, you could buy some scotch..." he said sarcastically.

"You went home early today" Wilson noted.

"And I'll keep doing it until Cuddy won't give me my Vicodin".

Wilson looked down at the floor "So you...you didn't go with her to the airport? Because yeah, you know, today Cameron left for Africa..." he said awkwardly.

"Yeah...".

Wilson turned to him, seeing him drinking lazily with his eyes on TV.

"Yeah! It's all you have to say?" Wilson asked bitterly.

His high tone of voice unnerved House "What the hell do you want me to say? Bon voyage?".

"You had this brilliant idea, and you've sent her there! Now that Edward is getting worse! You treated her like a child!" Wilson bursted.

"And I'm highly pissed off of being told by you or Cuddy what should I or shouldn't I do!" House shouted, frustrated.

"Good!".

"Good!" House turned to the TV, focusing on it.

"Anyway..." Wilson started again.

"Again!".

"She'd have appreciated it...Whatever you did for forcing her not to speak to you for a week" Wilson finished.

House remained silent as they both finished their beers.

"At least Blondie must have taken her to the airport..." the diagnostician muttered.

"Foreman went too" Wilson added.

"...Good".

Wilson put his hand in the pocket of his jacket as House noted his movement.

"What do you think about acetaminophene with codeine?".

"It might be better to take an aspirin...And what Cuddy thinks about oxycodone?".

"It's the same as Vicodin" Wilson sighed.

"But it doesn't kill my liver".

"With the amount that you take, it could. However, whether you like it or not, Cuddy and the hospital refuse to give you more. And you are no longer authorized to prescribe opiates".

House grinned, taking the bottle from the oncologist "Well well, they're punishing me because I forged the signature of mommy?".

Wilson got up nervously, taking his coat "You know House, sometimes I wonder what it takes to make you understand that we don't want to stab you in the back! You've sent Cameron away for personal whim! But again, you think so everytime!" and went to the door.

"I haven't sent her away on a whim" he said nervously.

"And why?".

_'Because I couldn't stand seeing her like that...'._

"She'd collapse" House muttered.

Wilson sighed deeply "She's stronger than you think, she's stronger than you".

_'I know...'._

Wilson sighed again, opened his briefcase and handed him a paper.

House took it, there was a long number on it "The number of your bank account?".

"This is the number to call the camp of Am Timan, where you've sent her...This is my surprise, even If you don't deserve it...But I guess this is your weird way to protect someone you care about" Wilson stared at his friend while he was at the door. House was staring at the paper.

"I won't call" House said, leaving the paper on the coffee table and going to his bedroom.

"'Night House" Wilson sighed and went out.

_TBC..._


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

It was hot even at midnight, and then you were forced to sleep with one eye open, because, as had said Keaton_ 'They don't have to punch the clock to kill civilians',_ so everything could happen: you could get up in the middle of the night or being able to take a nap in the afternoon.

_'Ok, I've never seen the second option to happen, but I've still three weeks left'._

"Docteur, telephone" came a voice from outisde her tent.

Cameron got up from her '_comfortable_' bed, she remembered better floors.

_'I swear that If it's Keaton who wants to be picked once again in the desert, I won't go this time. 10 km by foot because of him today...'Don't worry, there is a gas station, New Jersey!'...Idiot...'._

"Hello?".

_"Good morning, Red Cross speaking, we are sorry to inform you that your card is expired shortly after the naughty events that took place in Wilson's office"._

"Hi House...And however, in the Red Cross they don't take the vow of chastity" she sighed, tiredly.

_"Touche. So, you've already got the cookies I sent you?"_ he smirked.

Cameron smirked thinking of House with a flowered apron "You can cook?".

_"Of course not, but Wilson can and I thought that he'd do a thing like that in my name"-_

"I'm sorry, no cookies".

_"What a pity...And how's your tan? Is it pleasant to be sprawled in the sun? There is a reserve where we can bring Chocolate to reintegrate him with his people?"._

"I don't know, I can't even remember how beds are made".

_"How is it possible? I've sent you there to have wild sex with beautiful naked doctors and natives, and what do you do? You work!"._

"But...for doing those things you don't need a bed" she smirked.

House smiled in amusement _"Oh, that's for sure...Such as the chair of Wilson..."._

There was a moment of silence, too long...

_'Damn! Now she'll ask me about the kid...'_ he thought.

_"So, how is Dr. Superstar? Focused on getting the Nobel as always?"._

Cameron smiled "Dr. Charles is in Zambia!".

_"And he didn't come to pay a visit? What a boor!"_ he mocked her.

"There are two states between me and Sebastian!" she chuckled.

_"Oh...I didn't know that"._

"Yeah, I can imagine you there to count the miles before forging my signature" she answered sarcastically.

_"Hey, I just protect my investments"._

"Where are you? It's time for lunch there, no?" she asked, changing the subject.

_"It's 4pm here! You suck in geography...It's time for a snack!"._

"Then you're in Wilson's office, I bet you're also sprawled in his chair as you try to force his drawers that have been prudently locked before" she smirked.

House took his hand away from the drawer that he was trying to open _"Who is your informant, baby?"._

"I'd prefer not to answer".

Both smiled.

"However, I'm not a baby. Wilson will kill you If he finds you there. You exasperate him".

_"Wilson is a lustful not a hot-tempered"._

"House! Get out, now! This isn't your rest room! This is my office!" Wilson yelled, entering.

"Are you sure?" she laughed.

Wilson went to House who was trying to be disinterested.

"Who are you talking with?" Wilson asked.

"My personal physiotherapist" House answered.

"It's a hot-line? Go to your office!".

"Hey!" Cameron exclaimed, outraged.

_"Shut up"_ House answered.

Wilson was getting nervous. He rushed to the diagnostician trying to take the phone but House stood up as quickly as possible, taking the phone with him.

"House!".

_"Help me! He's attacking a cripple!"_ House pretended to be frightened while Cameron smiled.

"I'll leave you two alone" she said.

House backed away, taking Wilson at a safe distance with his cane _"Ok, call me at night, in a week or more, for the phone sex"_ and closed the call.

Cameron sighed and returned to her bed.

"Get out!" Wilson said again.

House moved to the door "You're angry, maybe you have no sugar inside you. Offer me a milkshake!" he smirked.

"House? See? Folders, desk, lab coat, doctor, work! You have been living on smoothies for two weeks now!".

"No Vicodin! No coffee! I can't have anything now!" he whined and slammed the door, putting the crumpled airplane of paper in his pocket.

_TBC..._


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

If it wasn't that his 'new drinking buddy' was completely useless, he wouldn't even have heard the phone ringing. He was twisting around in his bed for over an hour now and he wanted to take a shower, but he couldn't move.

The escort of the escort of the Vicodin had been over for a week. He reached for the bedside table to pick up the phone to at least stop the noise.

"You must have either a million dollars or be naked and very sexy, otherwise I'll hang up" he muttered.

_"I'm sorry but my boss is stingy. And for the sex...well, depends on the tastes"_ Cameron smirked.

House turned on the light, sitting up and rubbing his eyes "Cameron? It's three in the morning!" he snorted.

_"Oh sorry, I always forget the time zone"._

"Yeah, sure...What's wrong with you? Homesick? Don't give up, you have just a week left".

_"No, you said I had to call you in a week"._

House laid down again, grinning "Ok, then let's talk about serious things: what are you wearing?" he smirked.

_"Edible underwear"._

"I love the edible underwear, except when I've to eat it, I never eat before doing gymnastics".

Cameron laughed, listening to him breathing with difficulty _"What are you doing? Jogging?"_ she teased him.

He reached for the bedside table and picked up the Vicodin "It's three in the morning, I've been ripped from the sweet arms of Morpheus".

_"Too bad you have some tastes..."_ Cameron heard a chuckle and then a cough. She turned serious_ "Are you okay?"._

"Divinely" he sighed.

_"Are you sure?"._

"With all the sick idiots around you, you're annoying me? I'm sure that you've a lot of funny things to do there, change the subject".

The immunologist shook her head.

_'House is ever House'._

_"Let's see, how is work?"_ she tried.

"Perfect, I've an oncologist and a sergeant that torment me everyday...Ok, what can I tell you...Oh yeah! You must get back here, Foreman, despite his origins, is not good at making coffee".

_"I can't see the connection"_ she said confused.

"He wanted to give me the cup of Chase!".

_"And he still has his hands attached? I'd have ended up in clinic for life"_ she chuckled.

"I don't need a neurologist with no hands and then, he's not you...However, Chase is in panic, he misses you so much, he has started to chew on the furniture again, sitting in the corners for hours" he smirked.

_"I don't remember having seen him living a period like that"._

"When you resigned, why do you think I agreed to come to dinner with you?".

_"I still don't know..."_ she trailed off and smiled. It was strange If not bizarre to be on the phone with House, but, most likely because there was no eye contact, she felt less intimidated to deal with him openly.

Instead, House bit his tongue for the umpteenth time.

_'Why the hell do I have always to put me in these situations!'_ he thought.

_"Are you still awake?"._

"Not for long...".

_"Oh ok, sorry, I'll let you sleep..."._

"I didn't say anything! You have always to justify yourself..." he rolled his eyes.

_"Force of habit..."._

"Yeah..." House turned serious and took a pill. It didn't subside the pain but it was a conditioned reflex.

Cameron heard him snorting and knew that something was wrong...and she wasn't sure If she wanted to know...

_"House?"._

"...his heart...had become too weak...He couldn't take it anymore...".

Cameron was horrified, mouth half open, staring into space like when he said that there was nothing to do, that he'd die...

"Cameron?".

_"When?"_ her tone was cold.

"...Four days ago, Chase and Foreman went to the funeral".

_"Why are you telling me this?"._

"I thought you'd want to know".

_"I wanted to be there"_ she said bitterly.

"We want to resume the discussion of the office?".

Cameron remembered the slap on his face, his expression...she sighed deeply _"You know, I think I will take Friday off when I get back. You know, jetlag and all..."_ she changed the subject.

"Forget it! You come back on Thursday and I want you in the office on Friday. I don't accept delays!" he protested.

_"But if you're always late!"._

"I have no intention of disc-...shit!" he hissed. House grabbed his leg, he couldn't stand those excruciating pangs, especially in the middle of the night, especially in the middle of the night when he was awake. He moved the handset away from the ear, breathing deeply.

_'Stop, fuck!'._

Cameron was worried _"House? House!"._

"Don't scream Red Cross nurse! I'm not deaf".

_"Ice packs"_ she told him.

"What?" he asked puzzled.

_"For cramps, ice packs stretch the nerves and anesthetize"._

"Well, it's snowing outside, I could go out and roll on the road".

_"It's snowing?"_ she asked in an enthusiastic way as children on the Christmas Eve., which surprised him a little

"Come on Cameron, we're in New Jersey, in December, when it's not snowing here in December?".

Cameron fell back against the wall, smiling _"It must be beautiful...I love the smell of snow"_ she said dreamingly.

House felt a lump in his throat, the conversation was becoming...strange... "Apart from the fact that snow doesn't smell because it's frozen water, but then, it's not ten in the morning or something there? You shouldn't be removing bullets or something?".

_"How can you say that snow doesn't smell?"._

House rolled his eyes, noting that his phial was empty. He got out of bed and went to the nearby armchair "We'll end up talking about elves and fairies? Because I don't like Tolkien" he snorted.

Cameron shook her head, smiling. She heard him making strange noises _"What are you doing?"._

"They should make larger phials" he whined and then heard someone speaking in French "I've sent you in Africa, right? It isn't that I'm going to find about you're in a Spa in Paris, sprawled on a tanning bed right now?" he smirked.

Cameron was distracted by a man gesturing outside the tent, next to a jeep _"I must...I must go, vaccines for hepatitis"_ she informed House.

"Oh nice, how I envy you. Finally I can return to my blonde".

_"Goodnight House"._

"Cameron?" he stopped her.

_"Yes?"._

"Remember, Friday at 9:00".

Cameron hung up and ran toward the jeep.

House left his jacket on the armchair and walked to the window. It had stopped snowing.

_'At last!'._

He exhaled deeply.

_'You-are-an-idiot'._

_TBC..._


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

"Hey!" Wilson said from the doorway of House's office, smiling widely.

House looked disgusted "It's the same smile that you had when you said to your wife that you had slept at my house and instead...and instead you were somewhere else. Please, tell me that you didn't fly to Las Vegas with Cuddy? Once is ok, but twice!".

Wilson entered still smiling and sat down in front of his friend, who was glaring at him.

"Your smile is annoying me. It seems like it's the Annuka for you, but we're a little early, aren't we?".

"Today is the great day" Wilson announced.

House widened his eyes and stood up suddenly "Cuddy will give me my Vicodin! Yeppa! I knew that she'd give up sooner or later" House smirked.

Wilson shook his head thoughtfully "I didn't say that today is your dream day, I said that today is the great day".

He sank back into his armchair, staring at his friend and pouting "If you don't have my Vicodin you can go away".

Wilson rose from his chair "Ok, Cameron is back by the way".

"She will be back tomorrow, you idiot...".

Wilson turned to him "No, it's today".

"No, it's tomorrow, on Friday".

"And today is Friday" Wilson nodded.

"Today is Thursday" House said thoughtfully.

"Ok then she has a twin, which has been in Cuddy's office for twenty minutes".

House stared at the calendar on his desk, it was Friday indeed...Then he stared at Wilson, who was smiling more than before.

"Good".

"Would you do me a favor?" Wilson begged him.

"Do you have some Vicodin?".

"Ok, it's not a question or a pray, you must do me a favor" Wilson said seriously.

"Why do I have to?".

"Because I say so! Now, shut up and listen".

House looked offended as Wilson inspired deeply with closed eyes, then turned to stare at him. The diagnostician was bothered by his behaviour.

"When you will cross that threshold, you greet her, I don't expect hugs and kisses, that would be the right time to send Cuddy in intensive care, followed by me".

House grinned amused "Don't tempt me, Jimmy".

"However, go to her and say _'Hello Cameron, welcome back'_. They're only four words, you can do it since you open your mouth just to say stupid things. For once say something useful, If you'll use a bit of emphasis it'd be absolutely perfect. But I don't expect the impossible".

House made a face, mocking him.

"House?".

"I'll see what I can do, but for the emphasis I'm not promising anything" he said.

Wilson came out sighing as House returned to the folders on his desk.

* * *

><p>"Cameron!" Chase hugged a surprised Cameron, almost lifting her off the ground.<p>

Foreman watched the scene behind them, hands in pockets, smirking.

"Now I can understand the story of the furniture...Can you put me down now, please?".

Chase put her down smiling as she shook her head, amused.

"It's good to have you back" Chase said.

"Yeah, I sensed that you were happy. However, I've missed you too" she smiled and left her purse on the table, hugging Foreman.

"So, tell us everything" Foreman said.

"Oh God...It'd take the entire morning, I have yet to recover from the conversation with Cuddy. However, let's see..." she said thoughtfully.

"Fever, fatigue and she complains about everything...like 90% of the human race...I had to take a degree in engineering" House said, marching in with some folders in hands.

Foreman and Chase stared at him as he wrote on the whiteboard, Cameron smiled. She didn't expect a bunch of flowers or a reaction like the one of Chase...

"House?" Chase asked.

"What?" he said without turning.

"Cameron is here".

House turned around, he'd seen her from his office, but now it was totally a different thing. Apart from the fact that a tan suited her, that he loved when she held her hair tied up in that way, that the labcoat was perfect on her...

Yeah, apart from that...

_'Wow...'_ he thought.

"Good, Lassie is back...Chase, blood test; Foreman, there is a distraught husband in the waiting room, I think she's betraying him..." he moved toward a shelf, taking a stack of folders that he gave to Cameron. She stared at him confused.

"What? Do you think that you'd go around doing test on your first day back? They were waiting for you" he said, indicating the folders and turning to the two doctors who were smiling "You, out! Now!" he ordered.

Foreman and Chase went out with a folder in hand, Cameron stood in silence and started to fill the folders. House made a face and returned to his office.

* * *

><p>House was staring at Cameron without being seen. He turned to his computer when he saw her getting up and going to him. She entered and placed the folders on the desk.<p>

"Your folders. Now, I'm going to find Foreman and Chase" she announced.

House looked at the folders as she walked away.

"Hey, wait!" he called her.

Cameron returned to him, who was holding a prescription in hand.

"You haven't signed this".

She smiled, amused "Cuddy updated me about your situation, acetaminophen with codeine, ten a day, you can't prescribe opiates or morphine as of Monday because some phials have inexplicably disappeared. If you want I can even tell you the cases solved in this month".

House stared at her annoyed as Cameron walked away.

"Ah...Cameron" he called her again.

"Yes?" she turned.

"Welcome back..." he said softly.

She stared at him for a moment and smiled.

"...Even If...after what we have had, the phone calls and everything else...a kiss of welcome back would be perfect" he smirked.

Cameron looked at him, smiling almost mischievously "But I have been returned from a trip, you should be the one who'd kiss me..." she answered and opened the door.

She merely heard him, but she was sure that he had spoken. She turned but he was gone.

_"But I am the one who has come back in your life..."._

* * *

><p>House was on the balcony of Wilson's office with the iPod at full volume and a milkshake in hand. Wilson saw his friend outside and rolled his eyes before opening the door and stepping outside. It was very cold but despite this, the diagnostician was only wearing a jacket while Wilson blew hot air into his hands.<p>

"House! House! House, Chase is looking for you! House?" Wilson called him from the door and then went to him and tore the headphones from his ears "Chase is looking for you!" he repeated again.

"Stop yelling!" House said and then returned to stare at the entrance of the hospital, Wilson followed his gaze without knowing what they were looking at.

"What are we doing?".

"I'm looking at my future patients in clinic, you?".

Wilson smiled amused and stared at his friend, who turned to him slowly when he felt his eyes on him.

"Now you have who makes you some good coffee back, you are no longer forced to drink milkshakes" Wilson noted.

"I like milkshakes, is it a crime?" he turned again to stare at the entrance quite annoyed.

"No, no...It's just that..." Wilson started again.

House rolled his eyes, knowing that the typical Wilson style question was coming.

"Come on, just say it whatever it is, you won't use the same tone that you have when you're going to say to your patients that they're dying, right? Or I'd jump off this balcony immediately...".

"Apart from your mother, I guess you're the only one who is able to appreciate your own sarcasm, right?".

"Apart from your three ex-wives, I guess that there aren't other women who believe in your oaths, right?".

The oncologist made a face while House finished his milkshake soundly and then went away without saying a word.

* * *

><p>House saw her at the end of the hall, leaning against the nurses' station, yawning. He came up behind her soundless.<p>

"Joyeux Noel à tout le monde!".

Cameron jumped, turning to her boss who was grinning complacently.

"I didn't know you speak French" she said and returned to sign some papers.

"My Spanish teacher was old and fat, my French teacher was old and thin, but you get more flies with honey than with vinegar".

She turned, staring at him questioningly. He rolled his eyes.

"I have always to explain to you everything I say! You can pick someone up better with French than with Spanish".

"Everyone has their theories, Ptolemy was convinced that the sun revolved around the earth" Cameron picked up the folders, heading to the office and followed by him.

"You are comparing me to the idiot who did calculations as he wanted?" he said disgusted.

"I have no better idea in my mind right not, but as soon as I get one I'll let you know" she winked and almost slammed the door in his face.

"Hey? How rude!" House went in and sat down as she made some coffee. He was enjoying that scene playing with his cane and grinning amused "I missed it...".

She turned with a smile, surprised "What? Me making coffee? For so little..." she turned to prepare the pot.

"I was referring to the panoramic view from my position...But yeah, and for the coffee too".

She spun around abruptly, a bit, only a bit, nervous and smiled at him while he didn't look up.

"House?" she said amused.

"As far as we know, there aren't familiar pre-existing blood diseases, her parents are dead but of natural causes. Chase is coming and..." Foreman said, entering. He stared at the folder in his hand "There's nothing relevant in the blood test" he finished.

House snatched the folder from his hand, turning to the whiteboard.

Cameron moved next to Foreman, noting that House was visibly annoyed by the case.

"Why he accepted this case?" she whispered in his ear, without being heard from the diagnostician who was intent on reading the test results.

"He had stopped to examine the cases because Cuddy didn't give him Vicodin...Cuddy now chooses his cases, she has threatened him that she'll take away the codeine too otherwise" Foreman informed her.

"Oh...".

House heard them whisper behind his back "Cameron, you shouldn't be on duty at the clinic?".

Cameron looked at the clock "Damn jetlag!" and she came out running as House chuckled staring at the whiteboard.

"Hey" Chase said, entering.

"Hello Wilson Jr. Welcome back, well, what do you think?" House turned to them, while they stared at him, frowning.

"Why did you call me Wilson Jr.?" Chase asked, confused.

"You two have the same haircut, you dress as If both of your mothers prepare your clothes every the morning, the only different thing is the three ex-wives, but don't worry, I guess that you will overcome your master, happy?".

Chase stared at him amazed and shocked "I prefer when you call me kangaroo..." he shook his head.

_TBC..._


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

"Come on! Give me something that is not obvious and insane, I'm asking too much!" House continued to stare at the whiteboard, tormenting his lollipop while Foreman and Chase tried to think of something plausible to say.

"Something! Anything that can be related to the patient!" House said frustrated.

"She's a woman, she's 37 years old, she has been married for fifteen years, she has a son of ten, a son of eight and a daughter of four years old. And-" Chase started to read the patient's file again.

Foreman chuckled, staring at him.

"Chase, stop it, Cameron is back, you no longer need to play the part of the sensible kid...And stop throwing me those languid looks, they're bothering my afternoon nap. Tell me something that will put me in a good mood.." he sighed.

"Difficult task..." Foreman muttered.

"If the Hell freezes..." Chase added.

"Yeah and the descent of the four knights is heralded by a dark sky!" House laughed diabolically.

"House!".

The diagnostician spun around and saw an irritated Cuddy at the door.

"What were we saying, gentlemen?" House tried to ignore her.

"In your office, now!" Cuddy ordered.

Foreman and Chase sat motionless as House didn't listen at all.

"I can't now, maybe later".

Cuddy glared at him before going to him and dragging him to the office.

"Ok ok, I can walk alone. Let me go!" House whined.

Cuddy closed the door behind him and then moved to close the curtains too.

"Can I take off my jacket or it's enough If I pull down my pants?" House winked.

"Shut up! Give it to me and stop!" she almost yelled.

House frowned, looking down and sitting "What I'd have to give you, my dear Lisa?".

Cuddy now was really furious. House knew perfectly well what she was talking about.

"House, stop it! I'm not kidding! The pills of ziconotide, now!".

He fell back against the chair, grinning amused and offended "Hey, I don't take anything like that. I've my codeine that makes me so happy!".

Cuddy approached his desk, getting closer to him who didn't flinch.

"The head nurse Wecam told me that, curiously, you have accepted only cases of patients with dislocations, sprains or strains in the clinic".

"It's not my fault If we descend from monkeys and we all have this habit of pretending to be skilled skaters on the ice. We do it only at Christmas".

The two stared at each other a few inches away.

"House, the patient-" Chase said, coming in.

"Chase, get out!" Cuddy ordered without turning.

Chase returned to the conference room silently and shocked.

"I've tried not to see what was happening. Six phials of morphine have mysteriously disappeared. You can't make the turn at the clinic just to steal the painkillers from your patients! Now, give me the pills!".

House sighed nervously without looking away from her face "It's true, I prescribed ziconotide, but it isn't in the _'drugs list that House can't even read'_, so I don't see what's the problem" he said seriously.

Cuddy smiled almost hysterically "The problem, my dear Gregory House, is that you can't expect to have four patients and then prescribe twenty painkillers for each of them".

"Where is the problem, there is a maximum of pills that I've to prescribe per day?" he asked nervously.

"Twenty pills for four patients!".

"I still can't see the problem!".

"You prescribed eighty pills in total, and you wrote that forty of them had to be put in a phial with no label. You obviously know that by law, we can't prescribe such amount of pills!" she held out his hand towards him and he stared at the desk resigned.

"Nobody died...".

"Give them to me".

"It's not Vicodin or morphine" he tried to reason.

"Now. Give me. Those pills" she said with calm and firm voice.

"Don't make things worse, they are already critical in this way. You have hit the bottom..." she shook her head.

House closed his eyes and then hit the desk with his fist "I can see it too! Give me my Vicodin! I need it!" he yelled angrily.

"If you don't want to give me the pills of your own free will, I can always ask someone from the security to sift your office out" she knew for sure that he'd never accept such a humiliation.

In fact, he opened a drawer and threw the phial to her.

"And the one in your pocket too" she added.

He smirked with his head down "That's my codeine...".

"Codeine is in green and yellow capsules, let me see the phial".

House took the phial from his pocket, which contained the same type of pills that were in the other phial.

Cuddy picked them and went to the door "You have to be in the auditorium in a quarter of an hour".

"What?".

"You can't use the clinic like your personal pharmacy and get away with it!" she said, turning to him.

"Actually I can since I've returned my booty".

Cuddy sighed tiredly. She was tired of having to fight him, to keep him safe, of having to go around to get some informations about his actions and behaviors "There is a class of students waiting for you for a lesson".

"I have a patient, I can't go".

"You have three assistants here! They will keep you informed of developments!" and moved to leave the office.

"You can't send me to a class of brats just because I stole a couple of pills! You haven't learned anything from the lesson of 3 years ago?".

"A quarter of an hour!" she ignored him and slammed the door, which door was hit by a red and grey ball a moment after.

* * *

><p>House was totally focused on killing Magneto, which was more difficult than expected. He had still a lollipop in his mouth and was sitting completely absorbed in his world...at the end of the auditorium of the hospital...He felt a pinch on his arm and turned nervously, only to see Cuddy right in front of him.<p>

"Do you want something like, I don't know, a soda or a pillow for your feet?" she asked sarcastically.

"If Cameron'd take me a cup of coffee...".

Cuddy pushed his legs down abruptly from a chair "Stand up right now, it's 11:30 and you had to begin the lesson at 11:00 o'clock!".

"It's that I don't know what I'd tell them. I'm sorry, maybe next time..." he stood up and went to the exit.

She grabbed his cane and took it from him "If you don't want to roll up to the desk like a golf ball, you'll want to start and walk towards the opposite direction" she took a phial from her pocket and shook it in front of his eyes.

House grabbed it reluctantly because it wasn't Vicodin. He took his cane again and went to the desk, sitting on the chair in front of the puzzled tudents. Cuddy was standing near the door, waiting for him to begin. He swallowed and stared at her, smiling friendly.

"Good morning, I'm Dr. House and I'll give a lecture today".

Cuddy left the room satisfied. The diagnostician leaned forward to make sure that she was out and then put his legs on the desk and pulled out his PSP. The students, after five minutes of silence, began to whisper.

"Excuse me, teacher?" a student stood up from his seat.

"I'm not a teacher" House answered distracted.

"Doctor, when will you begin your lesson?".

House snorted a couple of times "You know what, the lesson won't start, you are free for today, you can...stay here and do the homeworks for other classes or you can just leave" and returned to his PSP.

"Are you kidding?".

"No, and when you go out, close the door".

The buzz rose again, higher than before. And after House died because of Mistica, he looked up nervously.

"Whatever you choose to do, do it in silence!".

The students looked puzzled as he returned to his PSP, sighing. He spent a good half hour playing, in which no one dared to stand up and go away.

"House? Sorry to interrupt-" Foreman started, entering, but then shut up when he saw the situation. He approached House under the eyes of the entire class "Didn't you have to give a lecture?".

"To speak and make me understand, they're two things that I never manage well. What do you want?".

"Labec, the patient".

"Oh, great, I'm coming".

"No, Cuddy said that whatever you have to do, you have to do it here until two o'clock" Foreman informed him.

"That woman is so irritating...Where are the happy sweethearts?".

"Cameron is in the lab and Chase is with the patient".

"Bring them here" and took the folder from his hand. He stood up and moved to the board. He stopped looking at the remote on the desk "What's that?".

"It's for the projector, the teacher usually shows charts and graphs" a student answered and pointed to the projector at the back of the auditorium.

"The slides are necessary?".

Two students, a woman and a man looked at each other, trying to understand what he was planning.

"No, well...it's just-" the man started.

House went to the back of the auditorium with some papers in hand "Hey, dark hair! Turn off the lights!" he shouted to a student.

_TBC..._


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

"Hurry!" Foreman urged Chase and Cameron as they approached him in front of the door.

"Calm down, Foreman. You don't need to give a lesson and I'm sure that House is not doing it either" Cameron rolled her eyes.

"Yes, but there is something strange in House lately" Foreman pointed out.

"Lately? He's been strange for 3 years" Chase snorted.

The three doctors were standing outside the door that Foreman didn't open.

"You have called us here but House wants to solve the case trying to provide us information in a telepathic way?" Cameron asked.

Foreman opened the door, shaking his head. The room was in total darkness.

"Oh God, bad memories of the first year of college" Chase said.

"You suffered the jokes for freshmen, Chase?" Cameron smirked.

"If you find your bed in the middle of the auditorium at nine in the morning with students all around you because of the lesson, you can consider it a joke for freshman".

"It could be worse" Foreman said.

"I was sleeping in bed" Chase added.

"And what's that?" they heard the voice of House.

"A cystoscopy?" a student answered.

"I'm not the one who have to answer!".

The three realized that he must have been at the back of the auditorium, projecting something that nobody'd like to see before lunch: uncomfortable biopsies, rashes, infections...and so on and so forth.

"He could show them a prostate exam..." Chase muttered.

Foreman began to chuckle.

"If Cuddy finds out that he's doing nothing" Cameron sighed.

"A few minutes ago he was playing with the PSP, this is a step forward" Foreman grinned.

"And this?" House asked.

"That's disgusting" a student commented.

"Don't choose Dermatology then".

"Psoriasis" Cameron answered.

House pointed the laser at her "This is a Red Cross Nurse!" House said, smirking.

Everybody turned to Cameron. House stood up and went down the stairs, moving the laser on Chase "I'll give you a hint: he's a Macropus Rufogriseus, he's herbivorous and worships the eucalyptus, he belongs to the family of Macropodidae" he joined his team and sat down on a chair while Cameron looked at him exasperated.

"He has a disease?" a student asked.

House smiled with satisfaction, staring at his internist, who sighed.

"Can we talk about the patient? In this way we can leave you to your games with the projector and the laser" Cameron said annoyed.

House handed her the mark, giving her his best puppy-eyes "Baby House is sooooo tired after having pressed that button a lot of times".

Cameron snatched it from him and went to the blackboard. She added other symptoms: ulcers on hands, pleurisy and nephritis, weight loss.

The students stared at the nervous immunologist because of all those eyes on her. House was completely absorbed.

"Stop staring at her, she's getting nervous and then she'll become a fury".

He rose from his chair and approached her "The curl at the bottom of the _'G'_ is her signature, am I clear? Apart from that..." he snorted "I'm hungry".

Cameron was staring at him open-mouthed "Have you read the part of the ulcers on her hands?"

"Yes, but I'm still hungry".

Cameron looked at Foreman and Chase, who shrugged.

"You already know what I want, instead I'd have to explain everything to them" he turned to Foreman and Chase. He gave her some money and she stormed out of the room, frustrated.

"It could be a skin disease" a student proposed.

"Shut up! It's noon" he sat in his chair, staring at Foreman and Chase sitting on the steps.

The students turned to them too, confused.

"He doesn't work after noon, he have to eat now" Chase explained.

"Bring me a coffee?" House ordered and Chase went out, snorting.

"From the blood test we can't see anything abnormal, the white blood cells are higher than normal, but certainly because of fever, even If we can't explaine the hypokalemia" Foreman said thoughtfully.

"But the lack of potassium may have a million reasons" a student added.

House was playing with his PSP while Foreman and the students discussed the case.

"Yes, but we need only one that can explain all the symptoms, the hypokalemia may not be the right one".

"Then why did you say it?".

"Because he loves to pull out big words, however, where's my coffee and my sandwich?" House asked, without looking up from his PSP.

Chase entered the auditorium without the coffee, the diagnostician looked at him annoyed.

"You were gone for half an hour and you haven't my coffee with you? Have you got opposable thumbs or not?".

"I was in the lab" Chase explained.

"Where's my coffee?" House said again.

"The blood test has changed since the last time" Chase ignored him.

"And I wonder again, where's my coffee?".

Chase went to him with the new test "You are not gonna believe this" he smirked and gave him the papers. House observed them.

"A tumor is forming in her pancreas and you tell me it with a smile on your lips?".

"Until an hour ago it wasn't there".

"But a tumor can't be formed in such a short time, right?" a student asked.

House looked up and stared at his assistants "Damn, he's a genius! If I were you I'd be careful, I could always choose to take him in your place" he turned toward the door when Cameron entered with no sandwich.

"Oh come on? Is this a conspiracy? Do you also want me to die of hunger as well as pain?" House whined.

"I was with the patient" Cameron said.

"What a news..." House muttered sarcastically. He fell back against the chair, twirling his cane.

"There is a thing that we-" Cameron started.

"I could have been satisfied with a bag of chips, or a taco or a burrito!".

Cameron glared at him "Butterfly rash".

House stopped and then stood up and took the marker "What about the biopsy? How much we're sure on a scale of one to ten?".

"I have already made the skin biopsy".

"While you were waiting for the results? You could also go and take me a sandwich!".

"It's positive, like the blood test I guess, because of the auto-antibodies".

House watched the blackboard "Now we're going to do a funny game, so you can tell it to Drs. Cuddy, because yes, beyond what may seem she has a degree...We can't know how she got it...However, I've done my job here in this way" he glanced at his team "Oh right, and in this way I've been able to make my team happy giving them a diagnosis" he smiled sweetly.

"It's not true!" they told him.

"Yes, it is. However..." House turned to write on the board under the gaze of all the classroom.

_'Butterfly rash!'._

"This is the diagnosis that you were waiting for?" a student asked, skeptically.

House rolled his eyes smirking "It's weirder than it seems, that's why I have my stock of Vicodin, well I had, in the book of Rheumatology...So what is the disease, decisive for the diagnosis, that shows a a butterfly rash on the face?".

The students looked at each other, confused.

"Ok, I'll give you a hint...Kangaroo lowers your hand, you are not welcomed in the game".

Chase was actually leaning on the chair next to Foreman and Cameron, glaring at him.

"Macropodidae is the family of kangaroos!" a student suggested.

"I like that guy...However, returning to the beautiful white butterfly flies, the clue is: the British" and pointed at Chase with his cane.

"But he's a kangaroo" a student corrected him.

Chase rolled hie eyes while his coworkers tried to hold back the giggles.

"You should be on my side!" Chase whined.

"They're a rare species, the English kangaroo. However, the British call it: the great imitator".

The silence fell in the classroom, annoying House.

"This is why I hate lessons where I'm the teacher! Must always explain everything from the beginning!" he scoffed and approached the blackboard.

_...E.S..._

"Find the missing letter!".

"They will never understand it" Cameron said, annoyed.

House turned to her and she stood still with folded arms. Then, she approached him, turning to the students.

"The _S_ stands for systemic, i.e. it affects various organs of the human body" she explained.

"Therefore, is it an autoimmune disease?" a student asked.

The diagnostician leaned against the board resigned "At this rate we will finish for Christmas..." he muttered.

Cameron turned to him smiling, then spoke in a low voice "Be optimistic, there are only two weeks left".

He smiled in amusement.

"It's an autoimmune disease, therefore, what is it? There is only a disease, dating from the early last century and it's the butterfly-shaped rash that gives it its name, in fact the _E_ stands for erythematosus".

"Hey, tell them the disease and we can go home!" House spat.

The students looked at the diagnostician shocked for his tone but Cameron didn't even flinch. He made her move away and brought the blackboard forward.

_L.E.S_

"And for the inepts who don't know, the _L_ stands for the name of the disease! I.e: Lupus! Because of the rash, the doctors who discovered it remembered the white spots on the wolve's muzzle. Apart from that, you could understand it much earlier, when she entered here without my sandwich and talking about auto-antibodies! Now, break ranks, exchange a sign of peace, the Mass is ended" House walked toward the exit and turned to his team "Administrate the immunosuppressants".

"Ok, I'll go with therapy, Cameron will deal with her husband" Chase proposed.

Cameron raised an eyebrow "Of course..." she shook her head.

"I think that-" Foreman started.

"Cameron?" House called her from the door.

"Yes?" she answered unsure.

"No pickles" and disappeared again, leaving her open-mouthed.

"This is his new way to say that you did a good job" Foreman smirked.

* * *

><p>House put his things in the backpack before taking his scarf and wool cap.<p>

"So, she did good on her first day back?" Wilson asked from the door, smiling.

"Now you are also my teacher other than my Red Cross Nurse?" House snorted.

"One of the boys in Oncology told me enthusiastically of your lesson this afternoon".

House went to the door but Wilson prevented him from going out.

"I'm not in the mood, move" House glared at him.

Wilson moved and followed him outside "Her return does upset you?".

"Look at your first lover who is speaking with your second wife, who knows what they're talking about" House said suddenly and walked quickly away while Wilson was standing next to his office, looking at his left curiously.

"Do you want to have a drink later?" Wilson yelled, shaking his head for the trick of his friend to get away from his questions.

"Nope, I don't have whiskey at home" House answered.

"Do you want me to bring the whiskey?" he pushed.

House just nodded and kept walking, but then stopped when he saw Foreman leaning against the nurses' counter, giggling with one of them who seemed to appreciate the presence of the neurologist. After the setback of last time, he couldn't let it slip, so he went around the counter, leaning against a column not far from Foreman.

"So, when you have booked your vasectomy?" he asked loudly.

The nurse turned toward him, puzzled. Foreman smiled nervously.

"I'm sorry Emily".

"Yeah, sorry Emily" he mocked Foreman.

Foreman went to him quickly "What do you want House? Problems with Labec?".

"Who?".

"Labec, the patient with Lupus. Chase is with her right now" Foreman explained but regretted having said that.

"You two take turns to pick up the nurses? How does it work, you take the odd floors and Chase the even ones, or do you go for departments?" House smirked.

Foreman went away angrily "Go to hell, I don't have to explain you anything of my love life!".

"Sure, I have a love life too...Well, I have several love lives, several nights at different costs, especially on weekends".

Foreman turned to his boss who was waiting for the elevator, a grin on his face.

"I said love life, not sexual life. And however, I don't have to pay them" Foreman said sarcastically and went to the office.

* * *

><p>House got in the elevator and saw Wilson there.<p>

"Are you stalking me?" House snorted.

"You shouldn't be on duty at the clinic?" Wilson asked.

"And how do you know it?".

"I found an angry Cuddy because of you and I've assumed it was because you weren't in the clinic".

House smirked in amusement and reached into his pocket "I don't think so. I think it's for this" and pulled out a phial from which he took a couple of pills.

"It isn't Codeine" Wilson said seriously.

"No, Ziconotide is better".

"Letal you mean! Cuddy didn't prescribe it to you, right?" Wilson said angrily.

"Cuddy likes to see me in agony!".

The elevator's doors opened and they came out.

"I don't-" Wilson started.

"House! Give me those pills" Cuddy yelled.

House got into the elevator quickly and pushed Wilson against Cuddy.

* * *

><p>House stepped out and found himself in the Physiotherapy department, a floor below the clinic. It was perfect, Cuddy'd never come down there to look for him, it was like going to look for the devil in the church.<p>

He smiled with satisfaction and went to the exit when he heard a familiar sound of high heels behind himself. He opened the first door at his right and went in and found himself in the pool room.

_'Better than nothing...Nobody is here at this hour, anyway'._

_TBC..._


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

House cracked the door open to take a look in the hallway and saw Cuddy walking closer.

"Shit..." he muttered and swung around, startled when he heard the sound of water splashed.

The patients were already in their rooms, there would be no one at that hour. But the vision that stood before him was not the most unpleasant. He smirked and approached the pool silently, continuing to observe the movement of her arms coming out of the water, that body coming to him.

_'Get a grip...'._

Cameron swimming in the pool was better than acetaminophene with codeine and ziconotide, no doubt...also morphine and vicodin taken together.

_'Let's not exaggerate!'._

Cameron came under him, unaware of his presence and got out of the pool.

House could count the drops that disappeared under her swimsuit, between her chest rising and falling rapidly. Suddenly, he felt the need to take a cold shower.

"What are you doing here?" Cameron looked at him surprised from the edge of the pool while he was dazed on his legs and not only...

"I could ask you the same question".

"But I've done it first".

House rose from the bench where he was sitting "Is it or is not the Physiotherapy department?".

"If you want, I can push you into the water" Cameron took the towel next to him, heading to the locker rooms.

He followed her, amused by that bizarre situation, where he could play on the fact that she was half naked and that he could observe her freely.

"House, stop it. You don't know that doing certain things you can become blind?" she smirked.

"What kind of doctor believes in these things? Look Chase for example, he has just ten tenths".

Cameron stopped in front of the doors of the locker room, turning to him, smiling. She had not forgotten the effect that she had had on him in Wilson's office a month ago "House, go away".

"I have every right to be here! And what is this hostile attitude towards me?"

"I've never seen anyone in a pool with coat, scarf and woolly hat on. If you can swim in this way I'll give you $50!".

House smiled even more intrigued by that situation "Hey, watch your tongue, kid. I always win bets".

"Whatever".

He was smiling when he heard the sound of the door opening. He pushed her against the wall behind the lockers, his arms at the sides of her head, their faces almost touching.

"What are you-".

"Ssshhh".

"I've seen you entering here, House. Come out and give me the pills, I don't want to play hide and seek with you!" Cuddy yelled from the door.

Cameron didn't feel comfortable in that position and so she put her hands on his chest, trying to push him away but stopping at the feeling of his skin "You are crazy, move!".

"Shut up, please, or you'll be forced to explain why you are almost naked in front of your boss".

"I'm not naked, this is a swimsuit!".

"You are almost naked to my eyes, I'll take a picture of you and then I ask for an opinion to Wilson".

"Forget-".

House put his hand over her mouth when he heard Cuddy again .

"House, please! You are too old for this kind of game!".

The diagnostician rolled his eyes under Cameron's smile, who was an inch away from him. They stared at each other for a while, then he twisted his mouth.

"I still love the game _'The doctor and the nurse'_..." he smirked.

"You are incredible..." she shook her head.

"Women like it...".

"You date strange women".

"I'd say '_special_'".

Still staring, they had forgotten of Cuddy who needed just to go around the pool to see them in what was an ambiguous situation.

House slipped because of the wet floor and Cameron found herself to support him. With his lips on her neck shortly after, her heart quickened at once like when she had just swum 20 lenght.

_'How can you find yourself in a situation like this?'_ she thought _'I come here to unclench!'._

"Everything ok, little girl?" he asked, his beard against her neck made her close her eyes to avoid the memories.

"Stop calling me like this".

"Ok, Barbie".

"Stop it or I'll push you in the pool, House".

"And then what are you going to say to Cuddy?"

"That you are molesting me".

She felt his smile on her neck, a shiver passed down her back.

"You are shivering..." he noted.

"Maybe because I'm completely wet?".

"What a pity...I was hoping to be the cause of your shivers...".

Cameron skipped a beat.

"Is it?" he smirked.

Another shiver and then another.

The sound of the door closing, she saw Cuddy walking away.

"She's gone, you can move now".

He looked at her, brushing her cheek with his nose "I prefer not to risk...".

Cameron thanked the fact that only part of the lights were turned on and that being flushed could go unnoticed "I love the risk" and pushed him into the open.

He quickly looked around for the enemy and then turned, hearing the door of the locker room closing. He smirked "See you tomorrow, beautiful eyes!".

Cameron smiled, leaning against the door before disappearing into the showers room.

* * *

><p>House went to his bike walking through the ER to avoid Cuddy. He touched his shirt that was still wet.<p>

"What have you done? To avoid Cuddy you've started running?" Wilson said from behind him.

"Funny" House answered as Wilson shook his head.

The diagnostician leaned on his bike, biting his lip and running a hand on his leg. Wilson noticed it and approached him slowly.

"Do you feel like driving? If you want I can give you a ride, and again, you'd park it in the garage because with all the snow that has fallen yesterday is risky".

House breathed deeply "I don't have a garage".

"You have a car, use it. I don't like the image of you crashing into a pole".

"Cool scenario" House grabbed the bike seat, grinding his teeth.

Wilson grabbed him by the arm but House slapped him away.

"I'll give you a ride. I'm going to buy also some scotch If you want".

House smirked, getting on the bike and putting on his helmet "No, it's not enough for me...it takes something more to get rid of evil and impure thoughts. Drink to me a glass filled with a lot of alcohol".

"Are you turning me down for a night of easy sex?".

House made a face, shrugging "Hey, there are things that not even friends can do so well...Unless that these friends are _female_ friends, but in this case they are no longer _your_ friends" he winked and started the bike, speeding away.

* * *

><p>Cameron was leaving the hospital to go home when Cuddy stopped her.<p>

"Cameron? I'm sorry, can I see you for a moment?".

She looked at her watch, noting that it was already 19:17.

"Only five minutes" Cuddy said again and smiled.

Cameron sighed and followed her in her office "Something wrong with the patient?".

"No, everything is ok" Cuddy sat down and motioned to Cameron to do the same.

Cameron was puzzled but accepted her invitation...It was too friendly, more than usual.

"I want to talk about House".

"Ah...".

"I think that he has some morphine hidden somewhere in his office. He's not so irresponsible to take it home since Tritter can do another search by surprise".

"But you're saying that he's reckless enough to steal phials of morphine" Cameron said skeptically.

"Six of them have disappeared after a shift of House in clinic" Cuddy added.

"I still don't understand what can I do? I don't think that he'd come to me to confess something like this. And then, you don't have any evidence that he has done anything" Cameron was getting nervous. She didn't believe that he was starting to steal phials in that way.

"I seized ziconotide from him that he had prescribed, only that he had never prescribed it for a patient. And tonight I've realized that he had taken more than I thought, enough that I found myself chasing him in the Physiotherapy department".

The immunologist grinned as Cuddy sighed.

"The fact is that the acetaminophen with codeine can function as a cure to detox from Vicodin, but they will never work If he continues to take morphine" Cuddy explained.

"I agree, but I still can't understand what I could do".

Cuddy turned serious "You know House's office and his habits, better than me, you know his hiding places for Vicodin. At least five phials should be there".

Cameron stood up, feeling almost offended by that request "Are you asking me to sneak into his office to search his phials? He's my boss! I'll ask him If he took some morphine, but I won't start to judge him even before knowing the facts!".

"The facts are that House is an addict and in need of help! But he dosen't need to be covered for his mistakes! I believed that the example of Wilson had served as a lesson!" Cuddy snapped.

Cameron turned and went to the door "I have no reason to accuse him! What he did to Wilson is wrong, he may have learned the lesson!".

"House doesn't accept lessons from anyone, the only way to get results with him is to impose the decisions!".

"I will ask him for the morphine, goodnight" and Cameron went out in a fury, direct to her car. She dropped the keys and leaned down to pick them up and getting in the car. She looked up at his dark office and sighed deeply, putting her keys in the ignition and driving off.

_TBC..._


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

House entered his office with a lollipop in his mouth. Foreman and Chase were already waiting for him, respectively sipping some coffee and doing a crossword. He came up behind Chase and read the definitions.

"He's not strong but was a traitor...Mmm, five letters, Chase!".

Chase turned, grinning "Funny...It's Brutus anyway...".

"So, we have another lovely case courtesy of the dairy and money of this hospital. Our young girl has the following symptoms: inflammation of the cartilage of the nose, which is pretty cool, and her mom, not Cameron this time, has noticed weight loss, as well as her doctor has found that she is lethargic, and the nurse on duty that she has a fever. What do you think?" he turned to the whiteboard to write the symptoms.

"Goodmorning".

The three turned, staring at the man in the doorway. House gave him a quick look before turning again to the whiteboard. A man in his forties, dark hair, leaning against the door with a smirk on his face.

"I think I'm the only on who can say If it's a good or a bad morning" House said.

"I'm looking for Dr. Allison Cameron".

This time the three doctors lingered more on the man at the door. House made a face, observing him, he could tell that he loved to look good: short hair, almost shaved, brown eyes, a smirk on his face, he seemed smart and clever; a tattoo could be seen under his left sleeve of his white shirt, and had a shoulder bag. Something good on him? He had a pair of black Converse.

House stared at him in the eyes for a moment, actually, that man was the first to do so and House noticed his eyes studying him, unnerving him.

"I'm sorry, but after a little incident less than a year ago, we no longer answer to such questions...You know, but If you are looking for Dr. Robert Chase instead, he is the blond right there. You can shoot whenever you want".

The man smirked "You must be Gregory House".

"Oh, you smart one! Thanks to my deep blue eyes or my little friend here?" he lifted his cane.

"No, by the lollipops and the fact that you are conceited and insufferable. And we've meet for about 5 minutes".

Chase and Foreman looked at each other, they knew for sure that one of the few privileges of House was self-control for physical aggression, but they also knew that he had been on Vicodin withdrawal for more than a month...That guy at the door was taking a big risk.

"Do I know you? No, because usually people offend me after knowing me, not the other way around".

"Yeah, because before knowing you, you are just someone with a cane. Crippled are sad, you don't usually attack them".

Chase and Foreman stared at their boss to understand how long thet had before running away.

"I'm going to-" Chase started.

"Sit. What's your name again?".

"I haven't said yet. Nice to meet you, Daniel Keaton".

"Doctor Cameron is currently working and-" House started.

"Danny?".

They turned to Cameron at the door with a stack of folders in her arms, a big smile on her face.

"Hey, he said that his name was Daniel!" House whined.

"I'm her boss" Daniel told him triumphantly.

House snorted annoyed "_I'm_ her boss!".

"I mean, I was her boss in Am Timan".

"A bit far away from the nest..." House commented.

The two stared at each other for a few minutes, Keaton smiling quietly.

_'Stop smiling or I'll give you a good reason to go back to Africa...'_ House thought.

Cameron, ignoring House, said "What are you doing here? Didn't you have to stay there for another month?".

Keaton smiled "Well-".

"Yeah, you didn't have to stay there for another month?" House said.

Cameron glared at him as he broke the lollipop with his teeth, loudly.

"Ignore him" she said to Keaton and put the folders on his desk, emerging after a few moments and going to the door, followed by Keaton.

"Oh yeah, go ahead!" House said sarcastically.

They stopped in front of the door to speak. The diagnostician snorted before focusing on the whiteboard again, beginning to write something. Foreman and Chase were trying to read what he was writing, then he moved away, showing it to them: _$50 she kisses and hugs him within the next five minutes!_

The two smiled amused.

"Never in front of you" Foreman said.

"Cameron doesn't do these kind of things" Chase added.

"Do you accept?" House challenged them.

"Yes" they answered together.

They turned to Cameron just in time to see them exchanging kisses and hugs like old good friends. Cameron then opened the door of the conference room while House rotated the whiteboard to cover what he had wrtitten "I love my evil mind. Money money!".

Foreman and Chase handed him his money while he laughed amused.

"Ok, see you later" she greeted Keaton with a wave of her hand and entered the conference room.

"Ok, can I can continue working or your mother has to bring you your snack?".

"No, I'm ok, thanks" Cameron answered sweetly.

House turned around nervously, staring at the whiteboard.

A tense silence filled the room.

* * *

><p>Cuddy jumped at the sound of her office door slammed "Get back upstairs, House. Your prescription is for Monday, you know it".<p>

"Who or what is the guy that goes around in my department?".

She looked at him blankly, confused.

"Dark hair, brown, beautiful eyes, doctor".

She smiled amused, focusing on her files again "Ah, I see you've met Dr. Keaton".

"Unfortunately, but what is he doing here?".

"He's a surgeon, he comes from New York and he was the supervisor of Cameron when she was in Chad".

"Ok, but what he's doing here? He looks suspicious!".

"He doesn't look suspicious! He's here to make a job offer to Cameron" Cuddy explained.

House rolled his eyes, surprised by the quietness of Cuddy "Whaaaaat! And why you are not throwing him out from here?".

Cuddy smiled, amused "We're not in a prison, he's free to do so and then, he's staying here for a while".

"He's staying?".

Cuddy shook her head, he was able to categorize people within three seconds and his categories were very simple: I like it, I don't like; the second category was almost full, the first one instead could comprehend Wilson and the turtle that he had when he was a child.

"Dr. Keaton is an excellent surgeon, and he's specialized in emergency medicine" Cuddy informed him.

"Wow, we have the new George Clooney!".

She glared at him "He'll be assigned to the ER...and Cameron with him" she said casually.

"What what what? Cameron what! NO, she's mine, she's with me!".

Cuddy smiled amused by the image of House whining like a child "Do you want the banana and the club now or do you want them along with your prescription? And however, it's only for two weeks, until she decides what to do, to help her to clear her mind".

"Noooo! She doesn't need to decide anything! She's staying!".

"House, calm down. Cameron is free to make any choice she thinks is good for her. With your signature on her contract, you don't become her legal guardian".

"It was written in small letters and you can read it only in backlight".

"Ha ha, very funny. You lived a month without her, two weeks will not kill you".

"But I have a complex case!".

Cuddy was exasperated and ran her hands through her hair "Oh lord. Ok listen, Cameron is anyway at your disposal in case you will need her, you are still her boss, but you must not take advantage of this to exasperate her".

"Fine!" and he moved towards the door.

"I'm sure you are going to like Keaton at the end...you are not so different".

He swung around while she smirked amused "Yeah, sure. The only thing we have in common is the decade in which we were born" and slammed the door while Cuddy chuckled.

* * *

><p>House went to the nurse station, stocking up with lollipops. Then, he walked to the elevator with his head down and found Keaton in front of him with a cocky grin on his face. House smirked too.<p>

"You went right under the petticoat of your mother to seek comfort?.

"It's not necessary, she always comes back to me...".

Keaton got into the elevator with House, a string of licorice in the mouth "Oh yeah, because you are Gregory House".

"No, because she has already done it once" and stepped out without looking at him.

"Do you want to bet, doctor House? They told me that you love it".

House turned curiously toward the surgeon standing at the nurse station to get a folder. Keaton smiled after seeing that he had got his attention.

"I'm listening".

"It's simple, $500 If she will choose New York before the end of the two weeks".

House twisted his lips, thinking.

"What, are you afraid to lose?".

"Ok, by the end of the two weeks I'll have her in my office again. You know, I need my coffee" and limped to his office.

"But on one condition" Keaton called him.

"What?" House turned again.

"You cannot do anything that could encourage her to choose New Jersey...Something not strictly at work, If you know what I mean...".

The stared at each other, Keaton biting his liquorice and House playing with his lollipop.

"Ok, it seems fair, If I didn't accept she'd choose to stay here within an hour...".

"You are underestimating her".

House opened his office door "I never underestimate her, I know her so well that I know for sure that she will choose to stay without me trying to lift a finger in a non-working sense" and entered his office, closing the door.

_TBC..._


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Cameron was deep in thought as she reached the ER.

"New Jersey!".

She jumped when Keaton appeared at her side, smiling "I see you have found your way home" she said with a smile.

He winked with another licorice in his mouth "Well, a nurse soooo nice and helpful showed me the right way! Where are you going so happy and absorbed, my little Alice?"

She looked at him curiously "What?".

"I said, where are you going so happy and absorbed?".

"No, how did you call me?" she said as they walked through the hall.

"Alice. Do you prefer Dorothy?".

"I prefer Allison".

"I prefer Alice, sorry".

"Have a daughter or buy a cat" she shook her head.

They stopped at the entrance of the ER and Danny sat on the nurse station. She stood in front of him, staring at him.

"I know, I'm pretty and all the women love me".

"So I'm worth $500?".

"I've never said that you are worth $500, at the time that was how much I had in my pocket...Hey, he didn't even raised!".

"It's like a poker game?".

"The coffee of your vending machines sucks, how have you survived for three years? I'd be fired".

"And that's why we have a coffe machine in our office".

He jumped off the counter, walking towards the exit, she followed him in disbelief.

"What are you doing?".

"It's been since yesterday that I don't drink a good coffee, you know the dishwater they give you on a plane? I need a real coffee".

Cameron grabbed him by the collar of his labcoat, stopping him.

"Hey!".

"So, there are three simple things that we cannot touch in House's office: coffee, whiteboard, ball".

"And what If I take only the coffee?".

"No, we'll ask the nurses" she turned, followed by him.

"It's just a cup of coffee! What, he has the Brazilian grinding him coffee on the balcony?".

"If he had a balcony, probably..." she smiled and handed him a cup of coffee, taken by the nurses' station.

"It sucks too" he pouted as he drank, she stared at him.

"Why do you want me to come to New York?".

He poured his coffee on a plant while she smiled "To sleep with you until I don't get back with my ex-wife".

"You are not divorced, you are not even married".

Danny smiled in amusement. He had a fantastic smile, never forced or false, just a smile "Oh, you have to know that when you choose Surgery, nobody tells you that you won't have a life outside the OR" he rolled his eyes.

"What does it mean?".

"Let me finish. Now I'm obsessed with this new absurd show, _Grey-something_...I'd pay for my Surgery department to have so much sex like there. There are more naked people than the dressed ones".

Cameron smiled at his seriousness.

"Instead, I'm more dressed than naked".

"I thought you were pretty and women didn't resist your charms".

He stuck out his tongue, turning towards the entrance of the ER "I will convince you to come to New York...We have Times Square, Madison Square Garden, the New York Times!".

"Princeton has newspapaers too".

Keaton became thoughtful and snorted "We have a high crime rate thanks to the corrupt police".

"It's not a great incentive to live there".

"You never get bored in the ER, you have the most absurd cases, for example, you can say that you have held a guy's heart in your hands as his wife came in to shoot him?".

"My boss was shot 8 inches from me".

"Ok, hot things here. Let's see...A fight between Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny?".

"You are mocking me".

"No, I swear! The bunny had a heart attack while hitting Santa Claus who banged his head on a stretcher. He had his skull open".

"I witnessed the killing of a 9-years-old girl, brought back to life 40 minutes later to diagnose her brain".

"It's not fair! Who do you want free, House or Barabbas?".

Cameron laughed, amused. He was struggling to remember something else.

"We need a doctor, car crash, three injured!" a nurse yelled from the ER.

Keaton ran out to meet the ambulance and returned a few moments later with the patient semi-conscious "Come on, Alice! I'll show you how to do an emergency tracheotomy!".

"What?" the patient asked scared.

He turned to the patient that didn't need a tracheotomy.

Cameron joined them, putting the gloves on.

"What's your name?".

"Ben".

"Ben, do you prefer New York or Princeton?".

"At this moment, all the places far away from here".

Keaton turned to her "See?".

"Why I can't feel my leg?" the patient asked.

"Most likely due to the eight inches of glass that are inside your leg. Ok, let's go, everybody with me!".

They left the ER after a quarter of an hour.

"Better than marijuana..." Keaton said, smiling.

"What!" Cameron said, shocked.

Keaton looked at her smiling "The adrenaline. Make sure they don't drag him around and forget to bring him to the OR" and moved towards the stairs.

"Where are you going?".

"Ah! A year ago, two brothers had a company to fix the carpet. They arrived glued together. Since that day I've decided that I'd shave everyday. You can beat this one too?".

She didn't have time to answer because he had already gone.

**_TBC..._**


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

"Ok, you'll do the LP" Chase said seriously.

"I can't and you know it!" Foreman answered, glaring at him.

"Gentlemen!" Keaton interrupted them.

They turned towards the stairs where Keaton was staring at them, breathless.

"Hi" Foreman said.

"I've two questions for you" Keaton said.

"Cameron is not here" Foreman told him.

"Oh, I know where she is. First question: there's a basketball court somewhere?".

The two looked at each other, taken aback by the question.

"To play basketball?" Chase asked.

"No, to find a wicker basket full of fruit so I can paint" Keaton mocked him.

Chase rolled his eyes.

"In the park near the hospital" Foreman explained.

"Thank you very much doctor Foreman. Now, question number two: where's your boss?".

"You'll find him following the U2 and Green Day duet that you can hear...right now..." Foreman said, snorting.

In fact, the music was audible from there. Keaton made a face "He always listen to the music like this?".

"We're lucky that he has not put on The Who" Chase smirked.

"Oh, thank you" Keaton walked away towards House's office.

"Why they're sending the analysis of your patient to me?" Wilson asked to Chase and Foreman but then stopped abruptly when he saw Keaton going to House, as Foreman and Chase took the tests from Wilson's hands.

"He's the surgeon from New York?" Wilson asked.

"How do you know it?" Chase asked.

"Small hospital, people gossip. He's going into House's office?".

"Yes" Foreman answered.

"And you have sent him there?".

"Yes" Foreman repeated.

"I feel that at this rate, he'll need a brand new team soonish" Wilson walked away while the two watched Keaton entering the office.

"I'm going to do the LP" Chase announced.

"I'm going to recheck blood tests" Foreman said.

* * *

><p>Keaton crossed the threshold of House's office, the diagnostician was facing the window. He noticed two things, or rather three, which intrigued him: the fact that he was playing the drums with his cane, the tourniquet around his left arm, and what, supposedly, was the ball mentioned by Cameron. The funniest thing was the drums that he was playing so seriously and with skill.<p>

"A talent stolen to music" Keaton snickered.

House swung around his chair and came face to face with the surgeon. He hated surgeons, he didn't know why, but it was a revulsion that came naturally to him...with their green scrubs to show who and what they were "What can I do for you, Danny?".

"No, nothing, Greg, I was around...".

They stared at each other for a moment, keeping their smirks on. Keaton looked inevitably at the vial of morphine poorly hidden on the bottom shelf of the shelf nearby. House noticed it and put it in a drawer, removing the tourniquet.

"You always have that stupid smile on your face or it's a consequence of the abuse of licorice?" House asked.

"I did a little research..." Keaton started.

"On my patients? Very kind".

"On you...".

House fell back against the backrest of his chair "I'm flattered, but I have other inclinations...And then, by hierarchy, Wilson is the first on the list...then Chase, poor thing, it means a lot to him".

"I just like to know who I play with" Keaton smiled.

"Gregory House, it's a pleasure".

Keaton looked at him smiling and sat in front of him "Very good reviews from all your teachers, brilliant student and very talented, but completely devoid of discipline".

"For discipline they meant to keep your mouth shut and nod everytime" House added.

Keaton smiled in amusement "What, just because you are the son of a soldier you had to be a rebel?".

_'...He called my mother?'_ House thought.

House shrugged, twisting his mouth and staring at him "Actually, yes! When I was 15, for his birthday, I went home with the mohawk; two days later, I dyed my hair blonde, shaved but blonde...But at least I've never let him brand me like a cow" and he pointed to the tattoo that could be seen on Keaton's arm.

The surgeon shrugged "London, I was 19...To err is human" he stared at the syringe on the desk and House took it.

"But persevere is diabolical...".

"Degree at Hopkins with honors".

"I have it..." House answered.

"Specializing in nephrology and infectious diseases".

"I have it...".

"Worked with Pertis, which is already an event. If we consider that you were his assistant during the last year of college then...".

"I have it...".

"Won twice the award for doctor of the year, but never went to collect any award".

"I have it...".

"Quadriceps ischemia".

"I have it...".

"Addiction from any form of painkiller on the market...".

"Only Vicodin for me".

"Arrested for drug use, resisting public authority".

"There is also written that I slept with my ex while she was still married?".

The surgeon smiled "This one is missing...".

"Glad to help you, we're done now? You know, because I'm supposed to work and If you cared so much of my CV, you could have just looked at the wall to your right".

Keaton stood up "You know what, I'm even more sure that she will choose New York".

House looked at him sideways while Keaton put his hands behind his head, smiling.

"You are not on duty downstairs?".

"I have a pager If they need to call me".

"Perfect!" House went to the conference room, followed by him, and poured some coffee in his mug.

"That must be the famous coffee".

The diagnostician turned angrily with his red mug in hand while Keaton looked at the whiteboard. House was annoyed by that invasion of space.

Keaton rotated the board and read the list, smiling "Hey! I'm winning here too".

"The important thing is to be convinced...".

Keaton turned to him who was sipping his coffee "In terms of employment, about 95% of doctors would kill to have your CV".

"I guess you are in that 5%, right?".

"I have always preferred action. However, you are a genius in your field, I cannot deny it, but apart from all of your beautiful diplomas, degrees, specializations, honors and awards, what remains? A man in his fifties, cripple and angry with the world because he is too scared to deal with the others". Keaton's pager started and he took it, grinning "She will choose New York" and went away.

House gripped his cane and emptied the coffee in the sink.

TBC...


	35. Chapter 35

_Thanks Notinyourlifetimehoney! =)_

**Chapter 35**

House got into the elevator and found Wilson there, submerged by some folders.

"Where were you at lunch?" Wilson asked.

"He called me a fifty!" House whined, not answering his question.

The oncologist looked back at the doors without pressing him to explain.

"How many years will you give me? Forty? Forty-two at most?".

"I've received some tests of your patient, again. She has a wonderful perichondrium...It's very clear, I have to tell you" Wilson avoided his question too and showed him the tests.

House took them "You oncologists, you see black and think of a tumor, she says her ears hurts and you look at her ear" House snorted.

"Why, If a woman tells me that her ear hurts, I have to examine her knee?" Wilson said sarcastically.

The diagnostician stepped out without answering.

"It's always nice and rewarding to talk to you" Wilson yelled after him.

* * *

><p>Cuddy was placing some books in the library when House entered her office.<p>

"I have to borrow your computer for five minutes" he informed her.

She turned to him who was already seated in her chair "What now, they have thrown you out from all the porn sites?" and turned off her computer as he looked at her sideways.

"They'd close in five minutes without me, I'm a member ad onorem" he winked at her.

She didn't move, waiting for him to get up.

"What do you want?" House asked.

"There is my name on the door. Get up" she said seriously.

House stood up against his will, taking a pill as she sat on her chair.

"I see you're making some progress, I'm happy for you" she said, smirking.

"I'm a good boy, I deserve a prize" he said with a childish tone.

"According to what logic?".

"My father gave me fins and mask when I stopped to use the shotgun against the Tollen's son".

Cuddy looked at him shocked "The real question here is: why did they give you a shotgun?".

"Do you know the boss of the T-Birds?".

"Are you talking about Grease?" Cuddy asked, confused.

He stared at her while she rolled her eyes.

"Instead of wasting your energy to invent these phrases, why don't you go doing some of your clinic hours! Why I need a dictionary of synonyms when I talk with you?".

House grinned, amused "But you must admit that the connection was-".

"Whatever, what do you want? What do you have to tell me about Dr. Keaton?".

He leaned against the desk while she stared at him "I want his personal record and I want to have access to his CV".

Cuddy laughed "Do you also want a reserve of Vicodin or do you prefer a reserve of morphine?".

"No, Vicodin will be enough".

She became serious "House, I won't give you his personal file, it's like stealing. It's a data that only our Board can access".

"Bullshit, the folders of my three ducklings have been a satisfactory reading for more than a weekend".

"I'm glad to know after three years that you hackered my computer. Just...Don't do it again" and she returned to her files while the diagnostician didn't move.

"Hey, If Cameron goes to New York, I have to know who I'm sending her to or I'll have her on my conscience".

"Very kind, I can write on my notebook that you have a conscience? Do you really think that I know you so little?".

House smiled almost mischievously, continuing to stare at her "Oh no, you know me better than any other woman within a mile...".

She smiled back "Then why do you want his file?".

"He has mine! He also knew what color was the tie that I had during the discussion of my thesis!" he argued.

"You had a tie on?" she asked curiously.

House shook his head "This is not the point. If you say that it is illegal, well, spank him!".

Cuddy smiled, amused "Sure Gregory, I'm goint to take one golden star off your classmate from the board because he played tricks on you" she mocked him.

"I'm not kidding! I want to play on equal terms!".

"I'm not kidding either, out!" she said seriously.

House made a face, leaving the office and seeing Wilson getting into an exam room. He went to him and entered the room.

"House!".

"Who is he?" the patient on the table asked and looked puzzled at the diagnostician.

"Come with me" House said to Wilson.

"I'm working" Wilson said and glared at him, indicating the patient behind him.

"I see him, but come with me anyway".

"Do you know him?" the patient asked.

"Excuse us, but we love each other so much and I just cannot stay away from him" House told the patient, smirking, and dragged Wilson out and closed the door.

"House! Are you out of your mind?".

"I'll give you $100 If you distract Cuddy for five minutes" House proposed.

"No way!" Wilson shook his head.

"$200!".

Wilson looked at him shocked, he was incredibly serious. In fact, House pulled out some money from his wallet.

"Go get you a milkshake, House".

"I don't want a milkshake! I want his file, a phial of Vicodin and the phone off the hook for a week!".

"Yes...Ok, let me see: I don't want to live in a hotel, I don't want to tell a six year old girl that she will probably die and, since you have talked about the Vicodin, I want a beautiful woman with a cold beer waiting for me in my office. Bye House" and went back into the room, leaving the diagnostician in the middle of the corridor.

"Annie" Foreman said, approaching House with Chase.

House looked at him curiously.

"Our patient now suffers from vertigo, she complains of a strong discomfort in the ears, they were bleeding" Foreman reported.

"Wilson thinks it is-" Chase started.

"Wilson doesn't understand anything. He is an oncologist, he's not a..." he stopped abruptly, staring into space "It's a tumor...".

"But you said that-" Chase started.

"She'd have ulcers in her mouth" House continued.

"Lupus?" Foreman asked.

House rolled his eyes "It's never Lupus. She'd have ulcers also in her genitals" he walked to the nurses' station and spotted Cameron entering the ER. He followed her.

"You are going to the ER?" Foreman asked confused but House didn't even turn around.

_TBC..._


	36. Chapter 36

_**Thank you Notinyourlifetimehoney! =)**_

**Chapter 36**

House entered the ER sipping the tenth milkshake.

"You can't leave in the middle of a differential diagnosis to get a milkshake!" Foreman whined, approaching him.

"If you are slow it's not my fault, and I'm a cripple" he walked along the corridor, followed by Foreman and Chase.

"You can't stalk her" Chase said annoyed.

"I just want to see If she's really good in this kind of things" House explained, snorting.

Cameron saw him and glared at him.

"We've arrived. So, the patient?" House asked, sitting on the counter near the entrance, staring at her.

"You were talking about ulcers and then you went away" Chase said.

House became thoughtful "And where I said that they had to be?".

They rolled their eyes.

"Mouth and genitals!" Foreman said.

"Ok, relax...Let me think...".

Keaton approached them smiling "What are you doing here?".

"Professor Moriarty..." House greeted him.

Keaton smiled and shook his head.

A nurse went to them and said "Male, 19 years, he has holes everywhere, he's a drug-addicted. Probably a drug overdose".

Keaton approached the patient, an Asian guy, and Cameron followed him soon after.

"Why people is so stupid! Sometimes I'd like to go anywhere far away from a hospital" Keaton said.

"New York, for example..." House said from behind them.

"I must admit it, your boss is too funny!".

"We are full" the nurse said, returning.

"What do you mean! I've to intubate him here?".

The nurse shrugged.

"Ok, give him some Arcan".

"He'll be dead in a few minutes..." House said.

The surgeon rolled his eyes "Listen, you do your work and I'll do mine, what do you say?" Keaton turned to the patient who wasn't recovering.

House stayed behind, staring at Cameron, completely absorbed.

"No response, we are at the third dose" Cameron reported.

"So, this exam room!" Keaton yelled to the nurses.

No one answered.

"I have to intubate him here" and so he did "Good, here we are. Give him the oxygen".

"Systolic at 78, 100 of lidocaine, half phial of epinephrine, 50 of man" Cameron said.

"Manitol" Keaton said.

House rolled his eyes nauseated.

"There are no internal bleedings" the nurse informed him.

"We don't know what he has" Cameron sighed.

"Manitol can be useful. One gram of ceftriaxone too" Keaton repeated.

"Are you giving him anything you happen to think?" House asked bitterly.

"He has tachycardia" the nurse said.

Keaton turned to House "Are you having fun being here and bringing bad luck to us? I'm going to start the CPR" and so he did while Cameron controlled the values.

"The values are strange..." Cameron said.

"How strange? Strange _'I'm dead'_ or strange _'Maybe I'm not dead yeat'_?".

"Neither".

"Good thing...".

"I don't think, it seems..." she showed him the values while he continued the CPR "He's hypokalaemic" Cameron said.

"I see...Pot-".

"Potassium chloride, 40 grams" Cameron anticipated him.

Keaton gave her a subtle look and then smiled.

House stood on the sidelines, sitting on the counter nearby Chase and Foreman as a spectator. But as a spectator, he couldn't miss anything, any move, any sentence, any look. Everything, he saw everything.

"200 charge" Keaton ordered.

"He's still tachycardia" the nurse repeated.

Keaton stopped suddenly, looking at the guy.

"Doctor?".

He looked up at Cameron, raising an eyebrow. She didn't seem to understand at first, but then they smiled at each other.

"Periodic paralysis..." Cameron said.

"He has holes from head to foot" the nurse said.

"They could be wrong. Let's try it, it's common in Asians. Give him some beta blocker".

"Metoprorol" Cameron suggested and injected the drug. The heart returned regular again. Cameron smiled and went away.

"Wow..." Chase said, amazed.

Keaton walked away, smiling at her "The disease stops the breathing, he goes around dressed like a punk and is mistaken for a junkie..." he turned to the counter "I'll see you at Reichenbach Falls, Holmes?".

House raised his cane as he climbed into the elevator.

* * *

><p>Foreman and Chase entered the conference room where they found House in front of the coffee machine, staring at it. They looked at each other, waiting for something.<p>

Chase shrugged.

"House?" Foreman asked.

"Behcet's syndrome...Call Cameron and update her with the case. Then, start with antineoplastic agents and corticosteroids. Keep me informed" House ordered and grabbed his milkshake.

The two stared at him without moving.

"What are you still doing here?" House asked.

"Cameron is not necessary here" Chase said.

House rolled his eyes "Two more hands and a young brain are convenient, especially If they can help someone like you. I've made her play with her little friend for too long and then I've almost finished the milkshake and we have no more coffee" he took his cane from the whiteboard.

"There is a lot of coffee here" Chase pointed out.

House went to the counter and poured all the coffee down the sink before going out.

"We have no more coffee" Foreman sighed.

_TBC..._


	37. Chapter 37

_Thank you Notinyourlifetimehoney ! =)_

**Chapter 37**

He was leaning against the wall, whirling his cane in front of the ER's entrance. Absorbed, thinking back to what he had seen. He hadn't liked what he saw, at all. He was distracted by the sound of a video game and he turned to the left, noticing a child sitting on the ground, playing.

He twisted his mouth thoughtfully, then he smirked and approached the child "Do you want a lollipop?" he showed him a lollipop and the kid raised his head, taking it "What are you doing here?".

"My mother is in that room with my brother Brian. He's an idiot, he fell from the window to go playing hockey, he has something broken and I'm losing the cartoons on TV" he pouted.

House twisted his lips and looked at a point above the kid's head "If I give you 10$, will you do me a favour in 10 minutes?".

The child turned off the console, staring at the doctor "$40!".

"$20".

"$30!".

"Deal. Ok, listen..." he whispered something in his ear while on the child's face formed a smile of amusement.

"Cool!".

"But you must not say that I told you that, okay?" House handed him the money as the kid looked amazed at his wallet.

"I could ask for more!" the kid sighed defeated.

"You'll never know" House smirked.

The kid rose from his position and went to the clinic.

House called him "How soon?".

"Ten minutes!" the kid answered.

"Very good".

* * *

><p><em>Ten minutes later...<em>

At the entrance of the hospital there was the 90% of the hospital staff, around a fire truck, where a visibly angry Cuddy was arguing with one of the firefighter.

"I'll repeat, it was a child! A child, there is no need to-".

"Madam, we have to do an inspection anyway. It can have been a child or the elves of Santa Claus, I don't care, it's the procedure" the firefighter explained.

She rubbed her temples, on the brink of a crisis: she had ten patients out in the yard, the clinic full of firefighters and the ER blocked.

Not far away, Chase yawned leaning against a wall, Foreman was playing with his mobile phone, Cameron was reading the file of a patient.

"I'm cold! I want to go back in the conference room! I didn't even had a chance to take my coat!" Cameron whined, closing the folder.

"If I were the father of that boy, I'd convince him not to do this stupid games again. Where were his parents anyway?" Foreman asked.

"Relax, it's useless to get angry, we cannot do anything. We just have to wait" Chase said.

The two turned to Chase, who was with his eyes closed, sunbathing.

"I can't stand still here doing nothing! I hate these situations" Cameron snorted.

"Take House for example, I wish I could be like him in this moment" Chase smirked.

The three turned to their boss: he was lying on a wall, iPod turned on, arms folded, eyes closed.

"Dr. Cuddy? Are they done?" Camero asked when she saw Cuddy approaching.

"I hope so" Cuddy answered fuming, glaring at House "Excuse me a moment" and went to him.

"Would you still like to be in his place?" Foreman smirked.

Cuddy went to House and positioned herself in front of him. He opened first one eye and then the other.

"When I call you sunshine, it's in a metaphorical sense, because you are the sunshine of my days, but now I want the real thing. You know, it's cold out here".

"Why did you come out last?" Cuddy asked seriously.

House waved the cane in front of her face as she rolled her eyes.

"Unfortunately, I can't run for 5 years now. I'm a one-legged, the only one of my kind".

"If I learn that you have something to do with this story of the false fire..." she threatened him.

"Lisa, you are insulting me. I've nothing to do with this thing, I'm much more creative".

She stared at him, trying to see If he was lying.

"Gentlemen, you can return inside" a firefighter announced.

They sighed of relief.

"I'll keep an eye on you" Cuddy said to House.

House got up smiling "Is it a promise?".

"In your office, now" Cuddy ordered.

House bowed and walked away toward the doors of the hospital.

* * *

><p>House left the hospital stretching and yawning, when his eyes stopped on someone in front of him.<p>

"Daniel William Keaton, born April 20, 1963, the same day as Hitler's. It's useless to call me old because I'm not and you are only three years younger than me".

Keaton stopped playing basket and turned to the diagnostician who was leaning against the wall, reading a folder. He smirked.

"What, did you feel offended?".

"Yale graduated, captain of the basketball team...of course. It's curious that a comrade is named after you...".

"It's not named after me, it's named after my grandfather" Keaton pointed out.

The diagnostician widened his eyes and smirked "Of course, nepotism is the trend of today".

The surgeon looked at him astonished "This is not nepotism!".

"Whatever...What then, your father is the head physician?".

"My father is a juvenile judge!".

"Relax, you were the second of your course...Maybe that's why you two get along so well. You specialized in" he turned a page "Heart surgery! Wow, a doctor of the heart".

"What are you trying to prove?".

"I'm reading here, you've been around a lot...A lot of hospitals...Uh, this is interesting, and this too, not to mention that!".

Keaton snorted nervously, approaching House.

House cleared his throat "You went from Chicago to Boston. Why? The cold was bothering you?".

"Personal reasons" he said seriously.

"Well, here it says otherwise. You have been called more than once in Chicago, and moreover...You've killed a little girl of six years old".

They stared at each other for a moment: the diagnostician had a smile in his eyes while Keaton was incredibly serious.

"I've not killed anyone, I prevented her to continue to suffer".

"There are a lot of painkillers in the world" House answered.

"She had a tumor that had distorted her right ventricle, the operation was the last attempt...But it wasn't enough...".

"Ahhhh, and since you're not so good with the scalpel, you've killed her so that she could keep her mouth shut?".

Keaton got angry and extended his hand to take the folder but House pulled back.

"It's not so, I gave the mother the code in order to increase her dose of morphine".

"I know, it's written here...And a similar thing happened to you in Boston and in New York. Do you enjoy to see people dying?".

"They no longer wanted to be in pain and you should understand it".

House smiled, almost amused by his phrase "Yeah, right...I'm more a type of a bullet in the mouth... Hey! Wait! Why I have to kill myself? There is Vicodin thank God!"

"I didn't say that you're like a terminally ill person, just that you'd understand what it means" Keaton sighed.

House moved closer to him and smiled in his face "I'm afraid that in order to bring her to New York you have to come up with something that doesn't consist in killing me with a dose of morphine. And then..." he put the papers of the folder in the pocket of his jacket "She knows that you have been sent to Africa to save your ass in front of the Medical Board? Because daddy put it in a good word for you".

"My father has nothing to do with this. He'd pay to ruin me".

"In New York you were so close to be struck off...So close that they have decided to send you away...Far away, to allow the dust to settle...".

Keaton sighed nervously, clenching his fists.

House wishpered in his ear, smirking "Wait, let me see it clearly: from the point of view of business, you are not that great, a good doctor, I've to admit, an excellent surgeon from what I read, but like all surgeons, you have the conviction to be God because they teach you how to transplant hearts...You ran away to Africa, and you did it for anyone, only for you".

Keaton looked into his eyes "Is it a crime?".

"No, but it's subtle" he started to walk away.

"It's the same thing you did!".

House turned to the surgeon, smiling satisfied "Wow, I see that you don't talk so much after all".

Keaton looked at him blankly.

"I sent her in Africa, I forged her signature, I didn't want her here for a while..." he said seriously.

"So why you don't want to let her go?".

"Cameron is perfectly free to do whatever she wants, in fact, she'll stay in Princeton" he smirked.

"Are you really sure?" Keaton smirked too.

"I've made my bet If I'm not wrong".

"Danny let's-" Cameron said, coming out from the hospital, but she stopped when she saw House with Keaton. She felt strangely embarassed.

Keaton took his coat from the wall "Dr. House" he passed him, bumping against him voluntarily.

House watched them leaving together. Then, something strange happened, leaving him amazed: she turned toward him still leaning against the wall, and he accidentally looked up from the snow, meeting her eyes. She was still in front of the car, without knowing why.

He felt so vulnerable under her gaze.

She smiled like only she could do, a smile not too sweet, not too pitiful or too pathetic.

Just her smile, the one that House hadn't seen for a while, perhaps from the day she had shown him it, emerging from Wilson's office...

_TBC..._


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38**

House was waiting for the traffic lights to turn green, rubbing his leg. It was definitely time to leave the bike in the garage.

He turned to the left, looking at the noisy restaurants and pubs 'till he saw something strange, almost relaxing: his team was inside one of those pub, laughing around a table. _Her_ smile wasn't the same one that she gave him an hour before in the parking lot, but she was serene, and it was enough.

He was almost tempted to park his bike, but that temptation vanished when he saw Danny approaching them with four beers in hands.

The lights turned green and he sped away. He'd have thought about it tomorrow, now he just wanted to sleep.

* * *

><p>"And now where is he?" Cameron entered the conference room, Foreman and Chase were there already.<p>

"Who, House?" Chase asked.

"I could look for someone else in the department of Diagnostic apart from the Head Diagnostician?" Cameron said matter-of-factly.

"He's out...Out of the hospital, not out like crazy...Even If he's very close to become one" Foreman said, smirking.

"What's the problem?" Chase asked again.

"Annie, our patient with Behcet's syndrome, do you remember?".

"...And?" Foreman asked, puzzled.

"She hasn't Behcet's syndrome! The treatment has no effect, in fact she's getting worse" Cameron sighed.

Foreman and Chase looked at her as she snorted, annoyed.

"Oh come on! Please!".

"Orders are orders" Chase said, shaking his head.

She turned to the neurologist who raised his arms in surrender.

"You can update him!".

"His exact words have been _'She's required here, in the ER she's useless'_. So first you update him and then we can come up with a diagnosis, and so we can go home early" Foreman explained and smiled in amusement.

She grabbed the folder that Chase was reading "If I think that I paid for your drinks yesterday" she glared at them and went away.

"The boss is the boss" Chase shrugged.

* * *

><p>House was sitting on a bench in the park near the hospital, eyes closed, cold air on his face, savoring the feeling...of morphine in his body and the music in the ears.<p>

He clenched his left hand and sighed. He opened his eyes when he felt something blocking the light of the sun on his face.

He saw her there, in front of him with only the labcoat on, arms crossed over her chest, a folder in one hand. He pushed her away with his cane, closing his eyes again.

She snorted and hit him with the folder.

He opened his eyes again, glaring at her.

"Annie isn't reacting to the treatment" Cameron said.

"_I'm singin'in the rain, just singin'in the rain..._" House started to sing.

She sighed in exasperation "We had to practice an emergency tracheotomyr, her glottis was closed".

He twisted his mouth "_And I'm happy again!_".

"She has had a transient ischemic attack".

"_Come on with the rain! And the smile on my face!_".

"Why do you sing while I'm updating you about the patient! ?" Cameron asked, annoyed.

"_Just singing and singing in the rain..._".

Cameron stared at him open-mouthed "She has joint problems, it seems arthritis, but since she's sixteen years old, it's a bit too early, isn't it?".

_"I'm happy again!"._

"House! ?".

_"I'm singing and dancing in the rain..."._

"Ok listen, whatever, I don't care. After all, you'll be the one that will be expelled!" and she started to walk away.

"You are so mean even with your new love, or I'm an exception?"

She stopped and returned to him, who was smiling.

"Listen..." she started.

"Do you know that he practiced euthanasia on three patients? Even If they discovered only one".

She smiled, amused "I see that you are good friends now, Wilson won't get jealous?".

"I'm not his friend, I've just got his CV, it's different".

"Why are you doing this?" she asked seriously.

"I've just answered with his own weapon, nothing else" House explained.

She pproached him, smiling "Ahh, so it's because he looked into your life that you have looked into his?".

"Of course. So, you don't mind going to work for a killer?".

"First, I'm not going to work for him".

"Great! I needed $500" he smirked triumphantly.

"I mean, If I accept the offer, he won't sign my paycheck. We're colleagues, that's all. Plus, he's not a killer...I thought you were proud of me" she finished softly.

The diagnostician's eyes widened "And I am, but you are not him, and it's not the same thing" he argued.

"You cannot know, you have just read something on a folder!".

"And you know it because you were there! ?".

"You know, normal people, to get to know each other, talk with each other first!" she said bitterly.

House fell back against the bench, staring at her "I prefer other ways to get to know someone".

Cameron turned to leave, shaking her head.

"So, how is he in bed? More or less good than me?" House said bitterly.

She looked at him incredulousy as he twisted his mouth thoughtfully.

"Oh yeah, you can't make a comparison, then...More or less good than Chase? Even If you were high then, so perhaps you can't give a fair opinion".

She looked at him astonished "I don't sleep with him! And why do I have to explain my actions to you! ? I came here to talk about the patient!" she said, fuming.

"Ok, relapsing polychondritis".

"What! ?".

"The patient is suffering from relapsing polychondritis, give her some colchicine".

"How long have you known that?".

"Since this morning, why?".

"And why you are informing us now?" she said angrily.

"Sooner or later you will have to fly out of the nest".

"That's for sure!" and went away like a fury.

He stood up "Hey, wait! Everything is frozen here, I'm a cripple! If I break my leg, I will want to swear in the face of someone I know!" he yelled after her.

"Why, talk behind people's backs is what you do best!" she yelled back and entered the hospital without a backward glance.

House shook his head, smiling.

TBC...


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

Cameron walked like a fury toward the conference room, entering and slamming the door shut.

"What did he say?" Foreman asked, hesitantly.

She turned toward Chase and Foreman even more angry "Relapsing polychondritis! And he has known it since this morning!" she turned and went into House's office.

Chase and Foreman looked at each other.

"Colchicillina?" Chase asked.

"Yeah, I think it's the best treatment" Foreman agreed.

They stood up silently and went to the patient's room.

* * *

><p>Cameron was rummaging in House's office, fuming.<p>

"What are you doing, Alice? Didn't we have to lunch together?" Keaton said from the door, smiling.

She didn't even raise her head from the drawers "Go away!".

"Fought with the white rabbit?" Keaton said, entering the room.

She looked up at the surgeon, standing there and smiling at her "Sorry..." she sighed.

_'Why sometimes he looks like House?'_ she thought.

"So, this lunch that you had to offer me?" he asked while she continued to rummage among the things of House.

"Why you are sifting out your boss' office?".

"I'm not sifting out" she pointed out.

"Yeah, going through seems more appropriate" he sat on the desk, looking in the drawers too.

"I'm looking for something, I'm not sifting out his office. And I'm at the request of my boss" she snorted.

Keaton sat in front of her, unrolling some licorice in his mouth "So, House asked you to sift out his office?" he said teasingly.

"I'm looking for something at the request of the boss of my boss, happy now?" she snapped.

"The brunette with fantastic tits?".

Cameron looked up at him, who was smirking, holding a wheel of licorice for her.

"How is it that men have an obsession for our tits? I want to remember you that your mother has two too!".

He shook his head, disturbed by that image "This is unfair".

Cameron smiled, while her hands were rummaging under the desk.

"What?" he asked curiously.

She took something from under the desk, putting it on the desk: four vials of morphine.

He became serious.

"Found it" she smirked and she put them in her pocket, getting up and going to the door. But he stopped her.

"Move, Danny" she said seriously.

"Did you know that Carroll was an opium addict?".

"He was also a pedophile" she pointed out.

He prevented her from leaving and she looked at him puzzled.

"It has never been demonstrated, however, you cannot take them".

Cameron got nervous "He has stolen them!".

"His leg hurts, he needs them" he tried to reason with her.

"He doesn't take morphine for his leg" she said with her hand on her hips.

"And for what then?".

She looked surprised "You are the one who stole his CV, why don't you tell me? !" she said bitterly.

He smiled, lowering his head "He told you?".

"Yes, and I want to tell you one thing: this is his game".

"Stealing CVs?".

"No, to analyze people with only a glance. Be careful, he gets nervous when someone goes through his life" she warned him and moved to leave the office but he grabbed her arm again.

"And what are you doing?" he asked seriously.

"I'm preventing him from being radiated! Morphine is an addictive drug! And he's angry with the world for what has happened to him" she defended herself.

"Well, I'd be too If I was a cripple. But again, it was his choice".

She looked down, sighing "It wasn't his choice".

Keaton looked surprised, smiling "The story of us surgeons amputating the wrong leg is a lie!" he tried to joke.

Cameron smiled, sighing again "No...The woman with whom he was at that time...She decided it was better that way".

He grimaced, staring at the ceiling "Oh, ok".

"Ok? ! Do you think that it's right she took such a decision even though she knew that it wasn't what he wanted? !" she said shocked.

He shrugged "She did what she thought was right, what she thought would make him feel good. You can't blame her for this" he said quietly.

Cameron looked at him shocked, laughing hysterically "No! What she did was wrong!".

"And you, what you'd have done in her place?".

"What kind of question is that?" she glared at him.

"It's a simple question Allison, If you were her, you'd have watched him suffering or you'd you have done everything to avoid it? Because I think she was hoping for the latter, or I'm wrong?" he challenged her.

"What she was hoping didn't matter, she did what he didn't want! She betrayed him!" Cameron argued.

He smiled as she went to the elevator "Trying to help a person, a person you love, to avoid for him to suffer, is it called betrayal? I don't think so...And then, are you or are you not taking a decision in his place right now?".

Cameron stopped abruptly, turning to him "He's risking to be radiated, to go to jail! He must detoxifying!".

"It will never work in this way! It has to be something that HE wants to do! As long as you force him, he will refuse to do it every single time" he walked to the elevator, to her "If you let a child to eat Nutella every day, for three years, and then you suddenly hide it on the top shelf, he won't stop eating it. He will climb on the top shelf, take the Nutella and break his neck!".

She turned toward him with her mouth open "I'd say that Nutella is not exactly the same thing!".

"Cream and strawberries, funnier and definitely more appealing" House said from behind them, passing between the two and entering the elevator.

She glared at him as he grinned "It's just an advice from a friend".

* * *

><p>Wilson left the hospital, tightening his coat and walking quickly to the car, with his head down to fight the cold wind.<p>

It was rare when he could go away a couple of hours earlier than usual.

He stopped noticing a funny thing, smiling: House was sitting on the hood of a car, staring into space with a smoothie in hand.

_'Gosh, he has a fixation with those smoothies!'_ Wilson thought.

Wilson approached his friend, noting also a taco in his other hand.

"Tacos and strawberry milkshake? Your tastes are weird".

House didn't move, eating another tacos.

"Lunch was at noon, what are you doing here? It's 4pm If you didn't know".

"Is it or is not the sexiest thing you've ever seen?" House asked.

Wilson followed his gaze but he didn't notice anything. He doubted that Gregory House could stop to watch the sunset in a December day. He turned, sitting next to him.

"There is an invisible woman naked that I can't see or the colorants in those smoothies have burned those few neurons left intact in your brain?" Wilson joked.

House smirked, without irony or sarcasm, which surprised Wilson because a smile like that from him was rare, If not impossible, to see.

"Are you ok?" Wilson asked.

"A Porsche 911 Carrera 4s, from 0 to 100 in 4.8 seconds" House said dreamingly.

Wilson directed his gaze to the car parked in front of them "Are you talking about a car? ! You are smiling like an idiot for a car? ! That is sexy! ? ! ?" Wilson said shocked.

The diagnostician shook his head, smiling.

"A car! ?" Wilson repeated.

"It's not just _a_ car. That is _THE_ car. It's the best, 3.8-liter boxer engine with 6 cylinders".

"If you recite a prayer in Aramaic, I'll understand something more...A car..." Wilson rolled his eyes.

House looked offended and left his milkshake on the hood "Who is the man who isn't interested in cars?".

"You have one sitting at your left...Ah, of course! Because men to be manly and to be able to pick up a woman have to spit on the ground and talk about engines? I don't need that, thanks" Wilson snorted.

House shook his head, amused by the image of Wilson dressed as a truck driver "Oh yeah, because you were born to pick up the girls! You are completely unable to handle a relationship. But, other than that, everything is ok for you!".

Wilson turned to him nervously "My three divorces have nothing to do with my manhood! And then, look who's talking here! The last relationship you have had, without having to pay, goes back to five years ago!".

House glared at him and Wilson didn't flinch. Then, House snorted, returning to stare at the car.

"Instead of staring at a car, look for a woman!".

"Since you give me advice about women? Indeed, since I've asked you for advice about women?".

Wilson was about to answer but House continued.

"The pot calling the kettle black. Anyway, she" he pointed at the car, smiling, "Is much better than a woman. She doesn't ask you money, doesn't betray you, you can turn her off whenever you want. But above all, she doesn't speak".

"I guess she also hugs you and asks how was your day" Wilson nodded.

"No, but it makes you forget all at the speed of 288 km/h at 6800 rpm...I'd kill to drive it...".

"With $300 you can do it".

House turned around while Keaton unlocked the car with his alarm control.

Wilson tried to keep from laughing while Keaton put his bag and the basketball ball in the hood.

"You go around with a car of $100,000 and then you go to Africa to ask for money for the poor? !" House asked.

"One thing doesn't preclude the other. Goodnight House. Dr. Watson" and he got into the car, driving away.

"Why he called me Watson?" Wilson asked confused.

"Idiot..." House muttered.

"There's a reason why he called me Watson?" Wilson asked again.

House got up and threw milkshake and tacos in the garbage. He grabbed his cane and walked towards his car but stopped abruptly, staring at Cameron getting in Keaton's car a few metres away.

"So, will you tell me...Oh..." Wilson had approached House, but stopped when he saw Cameron with Keaton.

House turned abruptly to his friend behind him "'_Oh_' what? ! She doesn't sleep with him!" House said nervously and walked away annoyed.

"I didn't say a word...But how can you be sure?".

"Apart from the fact that it's none of your business! Anyway, she told me so".

"How does it work? Everybody lies except for Allison Cameron?" Wilson asked.

House stopped and unlocked his car, then turned to Wilson "How come everyone holds this sentence against me? ! He is just giving her a lift on that thing!".

"The same thing that until five minutes ago was better than a woman?".

House threw his backpack in the car, glaring at the oncologist "It's just four wheels and plates" and got in the car but Wilson stopped him from closing the door.

"Everybody lies and you too...I love it when you let me see your human side...And anyway, everybody lies and even to themselves" Wilson shrugged.

House closed the door and sped away, leaving Wilson chuckling in the parking lot.

_TBC..._


	40. Chapter 40

_Thanks Notinyourlifetimehoney ^^_

**Chapter 40**

"You know that this is a prestigious conference..." Cuddy sighed frustrated.

"I know, I'm just saying that I have to think about it" Wilson tried to explain.

"Gosh, you two are always arguing!".

Cuddy and Wilson turned to the door where House was, looking annoyed.

"What the he-" Cuddy started.

"Give it to me now! I know that you have already unleashed your trusty hound in my office!" he went to her desk quickly.

"What are you talking about House?" Cuddy asked confused.

"You know very well what I mean! It was in my office 'till last night and this morning was gone! Thank you very much Wilson, you are a true friend!" he glared at Wilson.

Wilson looked at him incredulously "What have I done?".

"Wilson has nothing to do with it, so shut up!" Cuddy warned him.

"I'll shut up when you'll give me my morphine!" House yelled.

Wilson turned to Cuddy, puzzled.

"The morphine is not yours, it's of the hospital! You stole it!" Cuddy yelled back.

"You stole morphine? ! Are you out of your mind? ! Now I understand why you were-" Wilson said.

"Shut up!" he glared at Wilson and approached her "I don't care who you sent to do the dirty work, although If it wasn't him, I can think only of a brunette! I want it back now!".

Cuddy took a folder and gave it to him "You have a new patient" she said calmly.

He didn't move and so she left the folder on the desk.

"I won't accept anything until you give me back my morphine!".

She stared at him and took a deep breath "Listen because I'll tell you once! Acetaminophene with codeine, nothing more!".

"I don't want to detox! I'm fine with my Vicodin!".

"House, maybe you-" Wilson tried to say.

"Shut up! You've always been on her side! I was an idiot to listen to you!".

Wilson rose from his chair and moved to Cuddy's side "You don't understand that we're doing it in your best interest? ! I know it's hard but-".

"You don't know how it is! None of you knows it! I've had enough of people who decide what is best for me! I'm not a baby!" he yelled.

"But you act like one nonetheless!" Cuddy spat back.

"Then you have to know that your best doctor in this hospital wouldn't have cured a lot of patients without morphine!".

"And I guess it's also because of the morphine that there was a fire station in the parking lot!".

"I-don't-want-to-detox!".

Cuddy sat down again, holding out the folder "You have lost long ago the right to decide on the matter. Patrick Eliver-".

House went to the door "My department is closed until I'll get what belongs to me!" he slammed the door and Cuddy sighed, putting her hands in her hair.

"I don't want to be forced to throw him out...".

"I know..." Wilson sighed.

"But he doesn't do anything to avoid it...".

* * *

><p>House entered the conference room.<p>

"Ah, here you are. Cuddy has sent us this case. Pat-" Chase started.

House took the folder in his hands and ripped it in two, leaving the internist and Foreman astonished.

"You are on paid leave! The Diagnostic department is closed" House announced and went into his office.

"It was a joke?" Chase asked.

"I don't know, but he seemed serious" Foreman answered.

The two looked at each other and then at House's office, who was sat with his legs resting on the desk, headphones in ears, taking some Vicodin.

"Let's go to Cuddy" Foreman sighed annoyed.

* * *

><p>Cameron entered the conference room, noticing Chase and Foreman on the chairs: Foreman listening to music and Chase doing a crossword puzzle; in front of House's office door there were four or five pages torn in half.<p>

"What happened?".

Chase put down his magazine, observing her "House is on strike" and returned to his crossword.

"I think he's organizing a protest in front of Cuddy's office" Foreman smirked.

"Why he's on strike? And why are you here doing nothing?".

The neurologist took off his headphones "We tried to talk to him five times, the fifth he began to throw objects against us".

Cameron turned to the office where the lights were off, House was sitting at his desk and holding his right leg, his head resting on his left fist on the desk, headphones on, eyes closed, obviously tired.

"How long he is in this condition?" she sighed.

Foreman and Chase turned to House too.

"More or less five years..." Chase tried to joke.

Foreman smirked while Cameron rolled her eyes and went to the coffee machine, returning with a bottle of water in hand "He wasn't like this yesterday..." she mumbled.

"How? He's the same as always, maybe he has changed the jacket since yesterday" Foreman nodded.

"But you can't see in what condition is he? ! He isn't even able to put down his right foot!" Cameron tried to reason with them.

The two observed House again.

"Ah...I hadn't noticed..." Chase said, thoughtfully.

"What a news! How long he is like this?" she asked again.

The two looked at each other.

"Well, I don't know, but he's been in there for over two hours now" Foreman said.

Cameron moved to go in.

"What are you doing? !" Chase asked almost frightened.

"I'll risk a lynching" and she entered the dark office.

House grabbed the first thing that came to hand, leaving the grip on the leg.

"I don't have folders with me, and still, do you want to hit me with the Wisconsin Medical Association 1999 Award?".

He looked up from his desk, leaving his prize on it, and took off the headphones. She gasped when she noticed the clear signs of abstinence in his eyes.

"Not right now..." he muttered.

She approached him, placing the bottle of water and two pills on his desk "It's an aspirin".

He smiled slightly "A little miserable as a request for peace...".

"It isn't in fact".

House looked at her for a brief moment, then grabbed the two pills and threw them down without water "Now your coscience is clear, you can leave" he took his face in his hands and looked back at his desk.

"For how long do you want to keep doing it?" she asked.

He looked at her with a sigh "You know, while I was here, I thought of you".

"I'm flattered".

"If there's one thing I've learned about you is that you hate to see people suffer, but apparently I was wrong as it seems that it gives you satisfaction seeing me sick...".

Cameron gasped "How can you even think such a thing?".

He fell back against the backrest of the chair, streching his leg "Perhaps because you gave Cuddy my morphine?" he accused her.

She stood staring at him.

"Oh come on! Don't make that face, If it wasn't Wilson then you were the most obvious candidate".

"And so?".

"You are not even trying to deny it?".

"Why? You always tell me I cannot lie" she shrugged.

"Damn, I knew you'd change...But I didn't think you'd be so different.." he shook his head.

Cameron frowned and put her hands on the desk "I can't understand you...".

"You are not the only one...".

"It never crossed your mind that I could have done it to you for the opposite reason?" she said nervously.

"Of course...Because everyone wants to help me!".

"Yeah, what a stupid thing wanting you to avoid jail and disbarment! We are such selfish bastards!" she turned toward the door to leave.

"It never crossed your mind that I don't want to be helped?" he yelled.

She returned to him "I did, and I know you don't want it, but at this point I've decided to force you to accept my help, whether you like it or not" and she went out quickly, slamming the door while he closed his tired eyes.

**TBC...**


	41. Chapter 41

_Hello ^^_

**Chapter 41**

Cameron was returning from Annie's room, approaching the nurses' station to sign some folders. Suddenly, she felt someone observing her and so she spun around, looking at those ebony eyes that were so different from other blue ones...But to compensate, there was his beautiful smile.

"Hello Alice, what are you doing here?" Keaton asked.

She recovered and shook her head "I could ask you the same-" she stopped and closed her eyes, remembering...a pool...

_"What are you doing here?"._

_"I could ask you the same question"._

_"But I've done it first"._

"You are in another world, Alice. What now, you have had a fight with the Cherish Cat?" he smirked.

She turned back to the folders as Keaton leaned against the counter with his back, sighing.

"You know, your House has instilled a doubt in my mind...".

Cameron turned to him again "He's not _my_ House...And anyway, he's known to insinuate doubts in people".

"Ah, I thought he was famous as a diagnostician and a-million-dollars-doctor..." the surgeon was absorbed in staring out the windows. She smiled, making him turn to her.

"What?" he asked.

"What is this doubt?".

This time, he smiled "Michelle was a little girl with ventricle cancer...When I did what I did, I did it without hesitation. I was sure it was the right thing to do...".

"Instead, I couldn't sleep before or after having done it...The doubt haunted me for days" she said.

Keaton made a face "A confirmation of my theory...".

"That is?".

He turned to her, smiling more than usual "You are a victim of his charisma, in the sense that you always come back to him because it provides you security".

She looked at him astonished "House and the sense of security don't get along very well, it's like mixing water and oil".

"Wow...Actually, umm, then why do you always come back to him? If you don't feel secure, If you hate him, your words not mine, why you are here and not in New York with me?".

Cameron stared at him open-mouthed for a moment while he smiled like an idiot, taking a licorice from the pocket of his white coat, usually and commonly reserved for pens..."I'm waiting...".

"First of all, I've never said I hate him...".

"I can tell you the place, the time and the day If you want" he objected.

She crossed her arms "Well?".

"Ok, it was November, it was morning, we were together in Africa".

"Wow! Considering I spent the entire month of November in Africa and with you every moment of my life there!" she argued.

"I haven't finished, we were in the middle of a desert and it was hot".

She glared at him "I hate your generation...".

"Ah! See? You said it, even House is part of my generation, so..." he smiled while she shook her head.

He looked down, sighing, looking up again incredibly serious, it was something he often did: he chased away that smile to think of something.

"Why did he raise doubts in your mind? About what?".

"For a thing you said...In your honest opinion, why did he send you to Africa?".

She sighed, leaning back against the counter "House doesn't bear the idea of have an interaction with a patient, with his symptoms maybe...I'm beginning to convince myself that he doesn't want to have contact with anyone...So his team shouldn't have too".

"Why?".

"I don't know, I think for fear of having to let go with them".

"Yeah, well...Actually, I can picture him as a hermit on a mountain with two sheep...Idiot...".

"Sometimes...It's that...It's not that he doesn't talk to someone, on the contrary, it's just that after having done something that convinces me of the possibility of an opening from him, he does something completely opposite...which makes me hate him again".

"For example?".

She smiled "He sent me to Africa".

"I mean, what's the gesture that convinced you that there might be an opening in him?".

_...The feeling of his fingers around her hand, his eyes, with slowness almost unnatural, without any of them trying to take the power. Brushing their lips and then deepening the kiss again. The feeling of his beard around her mouth. The effect it had provided to her hand..._

Cameron turned away, sighing deeply "Nevermind...".

"Why? You told me of the night with the _'eat and drink'_ and you don't want to tell me that?".

She looked at him curiously "Why you have called Chase _'eat and drink'_? Are you usually accustomed to give others nicknames".

"I can't tell you because it has to do with my generation...You'd hate it more...".

She didn't look away as he snorted.

"Ok...When I was seven years old, there was a commercial...then they cancelled it...Probably they realized that it was scary...Anyway, it had an idiotic slogan, something like: If you don't eat fruit, drink it! There was a guy that looked like your ex".

"Except that he's not my ex, and then, they put the face of a man on his thirty on a product for children?".

He laughed, amused "Now, saying that Chase has a face like a man, we can also say that I will play in the NBA and that House will run the marathon in New York next year".

"That was a poor joke".

He looked down "Sorry...Come with me to New York, Allison".

"I have to think about it, Danny...I told you".

"But do it just for the effort I'm putting on trying to persuade you! And then, your boss is an idiot".

She looked at him wide-eyed.

"With all due respect to his CV, from the social point of view he sucks. In three years, he hasn't tried to take a chance on you! I've been better within a month! And we even kissed!".

She glared at him "Really? And where I was when you were having this dream?".

He smiled sweetly "Come on! You were sleeping, you couldn't resist my charm...You turned and then there was that French kiss that lasted a few minutes".

"Again? ! Are you referring to when you were sprawled beside me, I turned around, you shouldn't be there, and I just brushed your lips with mine...and then I slapped you?".

He threw away the licorice "Ok, If your subconscious tells you that...However, I'm a great lover, I've never got complaints".

She smiled, amused.

"I can give you the proof even now, If you want...After all, we can't break a secular tradition like this".

She looked at him blankly and he pointed to the mistletoe hung above them. Cameron smiled...a lot...too much mischieviously. She approached him while he was still leaning against the counter.

"Really?...I'm demanding, I have high standards for certain things..." she stared at his eyes.

"You must reconsider your standards...after this...".

She moved closer, almost touching him. She put a hand on his chest as he watched her, captivated and smiling. She whispered in his ear "Thanks..." she moved away abruptly, leaving him with nothing.

Cameron walked away towards the Diagnostic department...with a licorice in hand...

Keaton looked at his pocket, now empty.

She smiled at him above her shoulder as she opened the door and entered the conference room.

"I love your skill to take something away from me like this!" he yelled after her and smiled, walking towards the elevators.

TBC...


	42. Chapter 42

_=)_

**Chapter 42**

Cameron was gathering her things before leaving. She was alone in the conference room, the only light in the room was from the lamp on the desk. She was taking her coat when she heard House's voice.

"How can you hope to help me? Christmas is nearly here and there is not even a candy cane here...".

The immunologist turned to him, seated near the door. She smiled briefly and then turned around to put on her coat "I didn't think you liked them".

"I prefer the lollipop, but want of anything better...It's like the Vicodin, If I don't have it I fall back on Codeine".

"I'd not say it..." Cameron sighed.

He took the phial as she took her bag. She approached him, who was playing with his cane. She stopped right in front of him, staring at him with arms crossed.

"Why are you doing it?".

"What?".

"Of the twenty Vicodin that you had to take, five, ten at most were for pain. Why did you decide to abuse it?".

He smirked and closed the phial "I've never decided...It just happened".

"Then try to change it, decide to stop it".

House stood up from the chair, coming face to face with her. It had been too long since he could watch those eyes so closely "Hi..." he smiled and Cameron stared at him without understanding the reason of his greeting, and then there was that smile...

He was watching her and she felt uncomfortable suddenly...She had to break the silence "Why don't you stop?".

He smiled "Because the fifteen pills in addition, because yes, they were fifteen, can make me unwind...".

She frowned and sighed "You don't know other ways to stop thinking apart from taking drugs?".

He grimaced, still absorbed in his thoughts, then smiled "To tell the truth, I have another way, but it's expensive during this period of the year...You know, for the holydays..." he paused, taking a step toward her.

They were already too close, instinctively she took a step back, dropping her arms.

He grabbed her by the arm, drawing her to him. Without pleasantries, without soft looks, he took her lips for the simple fact that he wanted them, because he couldn't bear the idea of not having them. He wasn't tender, it wasn't sensual, it had nothing to do with the kiss in the laboratory or in the car park or in his office or in Wilson's office. It was only a crash of lips, his hand around her arm as she tried to pull away.

The desperate attempt to deepen the kiss. She hit him on the chest with her fists, pushing him away.

He lost his balance, leaning against a chair. They looked at each other breathless. He was almost unnerved by her reaction, she was fuming and felt sad by what he had done.

"Find someone else to be your anti-stress" she muttered and opened the door.

"Licorice, eh?" he said bitterly.

She looked at him for a moment, he stared at her seriously with a sad smile as If he had understood something...And instead he hadn't...

She went away.

He rubbed his forehead picking up the cane from the ground. He'd not be able to sleep with that question in his mind...

* * *

><p>Cameron was lying on her couch wrapped in her favorite blanket. She turned toward the bedroom, she was sleepy but she was too tired to get that far. In those moments she regretted not having ten years anymore to pretend to be sleeping on the couch so that her parents brought her up to bed.<p>

She had also ended the day with a good fight with House...Altough no one could define it as a normal fight...Her fight with the spruce was a normal fight because it scattered thousand of needles around the living room and she had left him leaning against the wall, staring at it with hatred for the whole evening.

After 'the fight', she had spent the rest of her time watching_ 'White Fang'_ and wrapping the last Christmas gifts. But she had interrupted the last activity because she had started to think of...him.

_'God, how I hate these moments!'_ she thought.

She took off the blanket and got up, If she was fast enough, she'd have reached her bedroom without feeling the temperature gap, but as we know, the '_If_' should never be underestimated...not even the doorbells.

She turned annoyed toward the door, it couldn't be one of her neighbors since she didn't know anyone thanks to her schedule at the hospital.

_'Not Danny, again, please!'_ she thought.

Again because Danny knocked on her door the night before, forcing her to talk on the stairs for half hour, at two in the morning, after spending the whole night talking in a pub because he couldn't get used to jetlag.

Then a doubt as she approached the door.

_'It's not Danny...'._

"I know you are there! Tomorrow your turn will start at eight o'clock, you are already in your pajamas, ready to go to sleep. There is not much at Princeton on Wednesday evening. Open the door".

No, definitely not Danny.

She stayed in front of the door, hesitant. 'Stopd acting like this!' she yelled in her head.

Then the unwanted visitor began to knock on the door with his cane...in a repetitive manner, slowly. She knew that he could go on for hours.

She opened the door and looked at him.

"Hello Red Cross Nurse, may I?".

Cameron stared at him puzzled, she had never seen him like that and she hoped to never have to see him in that state again. His face, under the wool hat, beaded with sweat, his eyes tired, swollen, red blood.

Guilt assaulted her "It's late, House, go home".

He smiled amused, leaning against the doorframe "I can't...I can't sleep".

"Make a chamomile tea" and she tried to close the door but he stopped her with his hand.

"It's about the talk of the unwind...I can't...".

"I'm sorry for the morphine, but it was the only right thing to do".

"I don't give a damn of the morphine, or rather, I did until I didn't come up with an alternative...Let me in".

She stayed there, astonished...If she hadn't misunderstood his words...he wanted to sleep with her.

She looked at him angrily "Do you want to come in to go to sleep with me? !".

He shrugged and looked at her calmly "What's the problem? I want you, you want me...Or there is already someone here?".

Cameron was taken aback...He was so serious, he was damn serious as only he could be asking such a thing.

He grinned amused, taking away his hand from the door, leaning back against the doorframe "Oh yeah...But only sex isn't enough for you, you want the words of love, the walks on the beach...No, sorry, but for that you can choose between the blonde Australian and the dark-haired New Yorker".

She glared at him "To screw someone, you have your hookers" she closed the door in his face angrily.

"Open the door! I know and you know that you want it! You better don't leave without knowing how is to screw your cripple boss! Hey!" he yelled and waited for a reply, aven an insult. Breathless, in front of her door, he heard only a door closing and then silence.

He hit the door with his head a few times before realizing for the umpteenth time that his dialectic sucked.

TBC...


	43. Chapter 43

_Thanks Notinyourlifetimehoney ^^_

**Chapter 43**

"Room service!" House was standing in front of Wilson's hotel room. He thought that If he couldn't have Cameron, he'd have extorted some Vicodin from the poor oncologist.

The door opened and Wilson appeared with a towel around his waist "What - House?".

The diagnostician smirked, trying to open the door widely with his cane.

Wilson looked at him annoyed, stopping him "Go away, House".

"Shut up, I cannot sleep, my leg is killing me. Let me in" he pushed the door again but Wilson didn't give up.

"No. Go home" Wilson whispered, trying not to disturb the other occupants of the rooms.

House blocked the door with one hand and approached his friend angrily "Do you see in what conditions am I? Don't be insensitive, you'd be the second person closing the door in my face tonight".

"Anyone who has been the first, I'm sure it had good reasons" he tried again to close the door.

"If you let me in, I'll tell you who it was" he stopped the door again.

Wilson looked at him nervously and impatiently "No! Go away. It's past midnight, go get some sleep" then Wilson stared at him puzzled, House was studying him, frowning. He knew for sure that being studied and observed by Gregory House was the equivalent of a X-ray. In a few seconds, the interrogation would be started. The trick was to answer quickly and directly.

"Why your hair is wet?" House asked.

"I just took a shower" Wilson answered but it didn't seem to convince him.

"You don't take shower in the late evening, you do it in the morning, before going to work...Why don't you open the door?".

"Because If you come in, you'll exasperate me up at four in the morning about how painful and sad is your existence".

House kept staring at him, moving closer to Wilson "Do you have some after-shave on?".

Wilson stared at him shocked.

_'Shit!'_ he thought.

Here it is the moment of hesitation.

Here it is the epiphany on House's face.

"Who is she?" House asked, smirking.

"I don't know what you're talking about House. You are very tired. Go to bed".

"And you're in bed with who?".

"With no one. I'm with myself, happy now?" Wilson said frustrated.

The diagnostician smirked "Naaa, you are not alone, there is someone here, someone that made you take a shower...Or maybe a double-shower. This someone made you put on the after-shave...Do I know her?".

"Goodnight House" he sighed and House turned towards the corridor.

After a few moments, House turned abruptly and opened the door, entering Wilson's room.

Wilson stood there, staring at his friend and shaking his head "She's in the bathroom" he said defeated.

"Give me some Vicodin" he ignored him.

"Of course! Wait, I'll go taking it in my private pharmacy next to the mini bar" Wilson made a move to turn but House stopped him with his cane.

"No, don't move, If your towel falls, you'll have me on your conscience when I'll jump from the hospital roof" House said disgusted.

"Jimmy? What's going on?" someone said from the bathroom.

House tried hardly not to laugh in Wilson's face, while his friend snorted "Yeah Jimmy, what's going on?".

"I...I...I hate you! If I came to your door in such a situation, I'd-".

"If you ever came to my house in such a situation, I'd have asked you to take part in our games since the price is the same...So, can I join you?" House smirked.

Wilson closed his eyes, his patient was at limit "No House! No! Go away!".

"Hey? My leg hurts, a little bit of friendly comprehension would be appreciated here".

In response, Wilson pushed him out and shut the door.

"Perfect! Unless someone is going to rob me outside this crappy place!" House yelled and went away, but then turned back toward the closed door "Everyone is having sex tonight! Except Gregory House! You egocentric bastards..." he walked away down the corridor, stopping to wait for the elevator.

"Why are you yelling like a maniac?".

House turned to Wilson, who was approaching him. He had on a pair of black boxer and a sheet of paper in hand.

The diagnostician covered his eyes as Wilson shook his head, stopping in front of him.

"You know, this image bothers me more than the one of you with the towel" House said.

"If you want I can return to my room".

"No, thanks. I will survive".

Wilson handed him the paper, which was a prescription. House took it satisfied, but he looked at Wilson puzzled shortly after.

"I didn't know that Dalmador is a painkiller".

Wilson ran his hands through his wet hair, annoyed to be there instead of his room "You said you can't sleep, well, that amount of Dalmador would knock out an elephant with a hernia. It's a sleeping pill. Go home, take it and go to sleep!" and he went back to his room.

House ripped the recipe "You are a true friend! Thanks a lot! I sincerely hope that she has fallen asleep while waiting for you!" House yelled after him and got into the lift.

* * *

><p>Wilson was writing the last folder of his shift in clinic when House walked to him.<p>

"So, what happened yesterday? I've to rent a tux again to be your best man? You know, I know a place where they also give me a tux to testify to your divorce...I'm a customer of habit by now".

Wilson turned, finding House less than a step from him. But the thing that surprised him was the fact that he was completely calm, nothing to do with last night, he couldn't even see the signs of abstinence on his face. But there was something in his eyes that didn't convince him. He studied him "Are you all right?".

"I'm great. I slept like a baby, then I woke up and I did some exercise of $300. Incredible, during Christmas all the prices are at the stars!" and he walked toward the elevator, followed by Wilson.

"Listen, for yesterday..." Wilson started.

"Come on, Jimmy! How long we are friends?" he thought about it "Since a lot of time...It's everything ok, really. It's your life. Mi casa es tu casa!" House took the lift with Wilson, who stared at him.

"Jimmy?".

"You are...Are you sure you're okay?".

House looked at him surprised as Wilson stared into his eyes "Can you stop looking at me like a monkey at the zoo ? !".

"Are you here to work?".

"I think so..." he stepped out and went to his office.

"And the fight in Cuddy's office of yesterday? The fact that you don't want to accept any case? Everything is ok today?".

House turned to him with a hand on the door "Ah yeah...Well, I'll think about it" and he entered his office, leaving his stunned friend in the corridor.

* * *

><p>"A horse! A horse for my kingdom!".<p>

The team looked up from their folders, looking at House incredulously.

He smiled "Good morning, who wants to be Gregory House this morning?".

They looked at each other, puzzled.

House threw his cane on the table, above the folders that they were arranging, walking towards the coffee machine.

Foreman and Chase stared at Cameron, who stared them back astonished.

"What's going on?" Foreman whispered to her.

"I don't know" Cameron answered.

"Yesterday you said that he seemed worse than usual. Look at him now" Chase added.

They turned to him again, who was walking without a cane and fumbling with something in his pocket.

"He's better than me" Chase said.

House turned to them "So, nobody wants to take my place in the game of the magic markers?"

"House, it's everything ok?" Cameron asked.

"Of course Cameron, I took your advice last night and it was great. I hope you followed my own, even If one of them must have been left disappointed, or maybe you satisfied both of them? I dare to say that maybe you were the one in Wilson's bathroom, but you'd not have had time to get there before me".

Cameron gasped as Foreman and Chase looked at them confused.

Other than saying a lot of strange things, House was saying them in a strange way, he hardly took a breath between his sentences.

House snorted at their looks "Ok, I'll choose for you! But I have to do a thing first" and pulled from his pocket a paper bag and a phial, from which he threw down some pills. He turned to the coffee machine and then back to his team, with...a cup full of candy canes.

Foreman, looking at House who was laughing like an idiot, whispered in Cameron's ear "I think he's drunk".

"Hey ? ! A bit of enthusiasm, If Cameron does such a thing you hug her. I don't want it, but at least a 'Well done Greg'!".

_Greg? !_  
><em>Greg? !<em>  
><em>Greg? !<em>

He stared at them for a few moments, then he picked up his cane, hanging it on his shoulder and walking into his office. Limping a lot less than usual, he stood by the door "Ok...So, today the diagnostician will be...Robert!" and he entered his office, closing the door.

Chase kept staring at the door "Do you think he was talking about me or perhaps he has given my name to the whiteboard?".

Cameron stood up and went to his office, entering without waiting for an invitation while House was taking more pills.

"House, what the-".

"No, no no no. Get out. Go back to Blondie, I'm still on strike for the moment" House lost his balance for a moment, leaning on the desk immediately, chuckling.

Cameron looked at him and then went out "Keep an eye on him, don't make him leave his office" she told to Foreman and Chase and then went to the door.

"Where are you going?" Chase asked.

"I'm going to Cuddy".

TBC...


	44. Chapter 44

_Thanks Notinyourlifetimehoney ^^_

**Chapter 44**

"Lisa, there's something strange in him!" Wilson said forcefully.

"House has been strange since the day he was born" Cuddy said.

Wilson was in Cuddy's office, arguing with her "He's...weirder!".

She smiled, sitting in her chair "You are simply listing the normal features of Gregory House".

He sat in front of her, visibly worried "Look, last night he came to my hotel, he was exhausted, he could hardly be standing. He asked for Vicodin".

She turned serious "I hope you didn't give it, did you?".

"No! Of course not, I gave him some Dalmador to go to sleep".

"Do you think that he took it?".

"I don't know, but even with a high dose he'd be not in those conditions. He's on a high, he says nonsense".

Cuddy made a face.

"I know that he acts like that all the time! But I'm telling you that this morning he's different, he couldn't even remember how long we've known each other!".

"He may have a memory lapse!".

"Once, when he was drunk, he listed all the battles of the War of Independence, with lots of places of the battles and names of generals. That's not House!".

Cuddy fell back against the chair "He hasn't -".

"House is crazy!".

The two turned to Cameron at the door.

"Or he is drunk!" Cameron added.

Cuddy turned to Wilson.

"No, he's not drunk. I had him a few inches from my face, he didn't smell of alcohol" Wilson said, sighing.

"Perhaps the cure is having some effect" Cuddy said.

"He's walking without a cane" Cameron added.

Wilson and Cuddy turned to her.

"He has bought some candy canes and has called Chase by his first name!" Cameron said exasperated.

Cuddy stood up from her chair and went to the door "I hope for his sake that he hasn't really taken any illegal drugs!" she said seriously and went out, heading to House's office.

* * *

><p>House was lying on the floor with headphones in his ears when Cuddy entered and went to him immediately.<p>

"Ray of sunshine! How is going Blondie with the markers? Has he understood where is the tip?" House smirked.

Cuddy ignored him, pulling a llittle light out of the pocket of her shirt and pointing it to House's pupils. He moved away immediately, glaring at her.

"Are you out of your mind? !" House said and sat on the floor to get up.

"You better collaborate, House, or I'll make you swallow it!" Cuddy threatened him.

She hold his face with her hand but he moved away and turned to Wilson. But the oncologist approached him and grabbed his wrist.

"Whatever you got, go home, I'll call a cab for you, but go away before Cuddy discovers that you have taken something. I'm saying it in your interest" Wilson said seriously.

House pushed him away, losing his balance again. He looked at them shocked "You are incredible! When I feel sick you are breathing down my neck; when I'm good you're breathing down my neck! What do you say If I die so you will leave me in peace! ?".

Wilson went to him when he saw that he was nearly falling to the ground, and this time House couldn't escape because his grip was stronger than Cuddy's one.

Something dropped from his jacket pocket...a bottle.

Wilson picked it while House rolled his eyes. Wilson red the label.

"You are crazy! Rymadil! ?" Wilson yelled.

"I've not taken it, I'm not stupid" House said and turned, finding himself in front of Cameron with the light in his eyes again. He tried to push her away but she did the same gesture of Cuddy, blocking his face...but she wasn't Cuddy...He stood there, staring at here as she studied his pupils. Mechanically, he smiled while she passed from serious to sad.

"House... What have you done?".

He felt incredibly impressed by her words, said in a calm tone.

"I cannot believe you took it? !" Wilson said, frustrated.

"My leg hurts! And none of you seem to mind at all!" House yelled.

Cuddy grabbed the bottle and went to House "Rymadil is a painkiller for dogs!".

House looked away, staring out the window "It's for my dog..." he muttered.

"You don't have a dog!" Wilson yelled.

House grinned, still unable to admit the reality because of the effect of the Rymadil and because he'd have to admit that he had touched the bottom, but especially because he'd have to admit that he had a problem, but above all, he'd have to do it in front of Cameron, who was looking at him in shock in that moment.

"There is written -" House started.

"And your dog's name is Vincent Vega?" Wilson asked.

"Yes...If the idiot vet had had any knowledge of cinema, he'd -".

"Enough House!" Cuddy folded her arms across her chest, sighing.

House began to get nervous, wringing his hands.

"Now you get your coat, you'll take the cab that Wilson has called for you and you go home and you won't show up at work tomorrow. And If I have the slightest doubt that you are not taking what I've prescribed to you, even one aspirin, I swear that you will find me to testify against you!".

House looked down at the carpet, grimacing.

"Am I clear? !".

House just nodded.

"Answer me!" Cuddy ordered.

He looked up at her, he had never seen her so angry "Ok" he took the helmet and the keys from the desk but Cuddy took everything from him. He looked at her blankly.

"I'd prefer not having to send Wilson to get you out from jail. If you don't mind, I'm sure that the cab will be better" and she left the office, followed by Wilson.

House turned to his chair, taking the backpack, rubbing his temples while the effect of the painkiller vanished. He turned toward the door, putting on his coat, he looked up and noted that _she_ was still there, before him, arms folded across her chest, disappointment and pity in her eyes.

_'Don't look at me like that...'_ House thought.

He remained with his mouth half open, not knowing what to say. Why on earth that sense of guilt? Why that anguish that was accelerating his breathing?

He looked away because her eyes were just too much. She approached him and he was forced to look at her.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered.

He was astonished, eyes wide, mouth open.

She turned and went in the conference room.

He picked up the cane from the floor and left the office.

* * *

><p>Cameron went to the ground floor, her gaze inevitably ended up on the figure of House getting in the cab. A lump formed in her throat, she spun around when she saw Cuddy "Cuddy, excuse me, can I have five minutes?".<p>

Cuddy turned to her, she seemed still shocked. She smiled after a moment "Of course, Cameron. What happened?".

"I've decided what to do regarding the offer of New York".

Cuddy motioned her to enter her office "Ok, have a seat".

* * *

><p>"I hope that you are sure of your choice" Cuddy said.<p>

Cameron stood up from her chair, smiling "Of course" and she turned to leave.

"He already knows?" Cuddy asked.

The immunologist froze with her hand on the doorknob, she turned to Cuddy "I haven't had occasion to talk to him".

Cuddy smiled, knowing full well that it was an excuse. She took something from the drawer and approached her, handing her a bottle.

Cameron noted that it was Vicodin, she looked up surprised.

"Don't get me wrong, I don't want, like you, that he starts again, but I prefer to prescribe four pills of Vicodin rather than seeing a bottle filled with who knows what" she left it in her hand.

Cameron looked at her blankly "I don't understand why you are giving it to me".

Cuddy smiled "If you want, you have an excuse to go to his house and have the opportunity to tell him your choice".

Cameron gasped, not knowing what to say "Well, I don't think it's a good idea" and tried to give her the pills back.

"I'm not forcing you, Cameron. If you want, that's all" Cuddy explained.

Cameron nodded, showing a faint smile "Good, thanks for your time".

"You are welcome".

Cameron came out a little shaken, staring at the bottle of Vicodin and putting it in her pocket.

* * *

><p>"You called?" Wilson looked in Cuddy's office, seeing her smiling.<p>

"I've to ask you a favor, If you don't mind" Cuddy said.

"Not at all, tell me" Wilson smiled and walked toward her with hands in his pockets.

"It's about House".

He shook his head "Of course...".

"Sorry James, you are absolutely right, but this situation is destroying me, plus I don't think House's lawyer may postpone the hearing forever".

Wilson smiled bitterly "Ok, tell me, other than paying for his taxi and sending him home, what else I have to do?".

She handed him a bottle with six pills of Vicodin. He shook his head.

"Come on, Lisa...".

"I've tried to avoid getting to this point, but have you seen for yourself what he did! He took medication for animals!" she put her hands through her hair "I cannot understand him and it seems that he doesn't care about the consequences of his actions! First the morphine, then the Ziconotide, then the Rymadil. I'm worried James!".

"I'll give you an explanation for all this, ok? He stole the morphine the day before the coming back of Cameron, then it was the turn of the Ziconotide, which is less strong, let's say that he wanted to fix everything. And finally a plane from New York landed, the six phials became four, some Ziconotide has magically disappeared, his mood has gradually worsened until the climax of last night, which has led to the condition of this morning!" Wilson said hotly.

Cuddy looked resigned "If the problem is Cameron...Everything is sorted out".

"Good, perfect!".

She looked at him incredulously.

"No, sorry, I have nothing against Cameron, it's just that...I don't want to be with him again like five years ago..." he sighed tiredly. He stared at the bottle on the desk and grabbed it "I don't know If I'll do it, ok? I'm keeping it just in case" and walked to the door.

"Thank you...He's lucky".

"Yeah...If he knew it at least..." and he closed the door.

TBC...


	45. Chapter 45

_Thanks Notinyourlifetimehoney =)_

**Chapter 45**

House had been stumbling from the bathroom to the couch all afternoon, throwing up his soul. He had not considered this possibility when he took the Rymadil. He was feeling awful.

He was lying on the couch now, staring at the bathroom door, no, he had nothing left to throw up. He wanted to get up, or rather, he wanted to gather the strengths to get up, get to the bathroom, take off his clothes and take a shower, then eat Chinese dinner ordered ten minutes ago.

_'Ok, let's get up...'_ he thought.

He clung to the back of the couch, appealing to his strength of will, and he stood up.

"Great, we're going great".

He picked up the cane from the coffee table in front of him and turned toward the bathroom.

"Let's go".

Maybe there were a few feet between he and the bathroom but it was like in the movies when the street in front of you never ends. Same feeling.

When he returned in the living room, he sat on the couch, his head began to spin and he rubbed his eyes. He turned the TV on when someone knocked at the door.

"Good, now I'll have something to throw up in half an hour" he stood up, directed to the door, he took the money from the wallet when they knocked at the door again.

"A moment! I'm a cripple!".

He went to the door and started to insult in Korean the delivery guy _"-Korean language-"_ [= "I'm a cripple! Idiot asshole!"] he opened the door and realized that the delivery guy, besides not being Korean, was not even a guy...He was so similar to his immunologist.

He stared at her with his eyes clouded by migraine and fatigue "Your house is not this one, you know?".

"I have to tell you something".

"I don't have the strength to speak or listen..." and he tried to close the door but Cameron proved to be very combative, blocking it with her foot.

"But you have the strenght to say something in wathever absurd language was that" she said tiredly.

"It's Korean".

"Good, very good" she pushed him away with her arm and entered the apartment without difficulty. Since he had no forces to oppose, he looked at her incredulously.

"I would say that you also have the strength to listen, If can think in another language" she stopped in the living room, hands on hips.

He stared at her grimacing, walking very slowly to her.

"I came to give you these, from Cuddy, not me. I don't agree" she handed him the Vicodin but he didn't smile with satisfaction.

He just took them and put them in his pocket "Well, now that you've done your duty as a nurse, you can leave. You know the way out. Tell her I feel great and that my liver was missing it" House went to the bathroom.

"I'm not leaving, I have to tell you something!".

He turned nervously "Go away, ok! ? And don't yell, my head is killing me!" he said loudly.

"Next time why don't you try the drugs for primates? ! They should work in your case!".

"Perfect, now that you've said yours too clever joke, get out of my sight!" he opened the door, making a sign for her to leave, but she sat on the piano stool.

"No, I want to talk".

He shut the door loudly "I'm going to take a shower" and he went to the bathroom as quickly as possible.

She followed him "I have to talk and you are going to take a shower? !".

"Believe me, I need it" he went into the bathroom while she stopped at the door "You can't come in here, sorry. Stacy took about two months for having free access to all the aparment. I don't even have seen you naked yet. So, sorry" and he shut the door in her face.

"I'm not kidding, House! I have to talk to you!" and she heard him locking the door.

House turned on the water in the shower, taking off his t-shirt.

"House?".

"Oh Lord, you still there?" he took off his jeans and swallowed a Vicodin, savoring that feeling again.

"And I'll be here until you talk to me!" she yelled.

"Well, you can stay there and wait for hours. I'm very vain and demanding in skin care! While you are waiting, why don't you open the frontdoor and go back to wherever you came from or wherever you live! ?".

Silence.

He took off his boxers, grabbed the phial from the sink and went in the shower. He closed his eyes, feeling the Vicodin kicking in.

_'God...Better than sex...'_ he thought.

He opened his eyes suddenly, not knowing why, or rather he knew perfectly well why. That thought had led automatically to another...

Cameron.

_'Shit...'._

He had to think of how to get rid of her since his longest shower lasted fifteen minutes...Except for that time with Stacy...Of which he didn't remember for how long.

A smirk appeared on his face as he rinsed his hair and then frowned.

_'No wait, it was not a shower...It was a tub...But not this one...'._

He twisted his mouth with his hands on the wall.

_'Where the hell I was? Why I'm remembering Jimmy?...This thing is scary...'._

He turned off the water and soap himself, continuing to think but stopped for a few moments before turning on the water again.

_'I was with Stacy, no doubt...I think...Why I'm thinking of Jimmy? !...Maybe I was in a hotel, or maybe it was...Hey? !'._

His stream of thoughts on something completely useless to remember was blocked because of a noise from the frontdoor...Shutting...

_'Shit, she's gone? !'._

He turned off the water, still half soaped, grabbed the towel hanging out of the shower, because the robe was too far away, he took his cane from the sink, risking to break his neck because of the wet floor and forcefully he grabbed the door handle without remembering to have locked it before, because he never did that. Well, he'd not have minded If she had entered. It was a shame that she didn't know about the other door in the bedroom...Unlocking the door, he limped out of the bathroom and turned the corner going to the door...He was lucky to be able not to collide with her.

He hadn't had time to search for his slippers, indeed, very likely, he didn't even have a pair of slippers. He wasn't sure.

She turned to him the moment he was about to fall on her. They stood there like two idiots, staring at each other for a while, House leaned against the door as If it was the most normal thing in the world, regardless of the fact of being half-naked.

Cameron was totally disoriented, not knowing what to say or do "They kept knocking at the door" and she showed him a paper bag "I guess this is your dinner".

He nodded like an idiot, thinking of an excuse to justify his recent entrance like Risky Business but without the singing, the white shirt, sunglasses and socks...

She smirked "I thought you didn't mind If I went away...".

"I finished taking a shower and got out, that's all" he tried to justify.

"And do you always get out of the shower half-soaped?".

"Yes...".

_'Great excuse? !'_ he thought.

_'Why are you staring at him? ! Ok, count to three, say goodbye and go away: one, two and three'_ she thought.

She hesitated for a moment as House didn't move, his face expressionless.

"Well, it's late, we'll talk tomorrow. It was nothing important" she said.

"Ok...".

_'Ok? ! What the fuck I'm saying? !'._

Cameron opened the door, turning back to him and handing him the bag "Sorry, your dinner".

He shook his head "Oh, thank you" he reached out to take the bag, meeting inevitably her hand.

Wet skin against warm skin, she closed her eyes as a reflex. Neither, in spite of this, was letting go the bag...

Well, what happened next had nothing to do with the rational reasoning of two adults.

_TBC..._


	46. Chapter 46

_Thanks Notinyourlifetimehoney =) _

**Chapter 46**

House nuzzled her neck, shutting the door with her back while his left hand tried to take off her coat. He pulled her to him with the coat still on...Her neck was something incredible.

Cameron threw her head back against the door, breathless. He moved her away from there without losing contact with her neck. They stopped in front of the bathroom to take her coat off...Finally...Thanking God that it wasn't buttoned. The paper bag fell from her hand when he removed the coat.

God...What taste had her body. It was so intoxicating that he could get drunk just by mapping it, every tiny inch of skin that he tasted was like a branding iron on the skin. He couldn't get away from that neck as she savored the feeling of being able to touch his skin.

She ran her hands up to his wet hair where she laced her fingers through it. She grabbed his head, pushing him away from her neck. He widened his eyes, astonished by the touch of her lips on his chest and neck. Trying to think of something better of her hands running across his back to the edge of the towel, caressing his abds.

He searched her hands, forcing her to move in the direction of the bedroom. They had barely managed to break away to reach his bedroom. Now the dull ache of his leg was starting to remind him that it actually was there, but he grabbed her arm, her back against his chest.

Whatever Cameron was thinking of saying, it turned into a strangled groan...Yes, because there were three things that he cannot stand in his bedroom: speaking, contacts with his leg, kissing...

He pushed her on the mattress, she laid down and he leaned over her, their bodies joined together, one above the other. He opened her blouse, which ended near her sweater on the floor that he didn't even remember of having taken off. He caressed every inch of skin, not fully aware of how everything was happening so quickly. She was shocked, scared, but also entranced by those sensations she had only imagined in her dreams, when she found herself thinking about him...

He ran his tongue between her breasts, ending on her neck again. Having now surpassed the stage of euphoria, now he didn't know in what stage they were.

Cameron was breathing with difficulty, she could hardly move, stunned by what was happening, stunned by his beard that ran along her neck, wet hair against her chin, his wet and cool body against hers warm and dry.

There was something fundamentally wrong in the way he was managing the situation. She didn't consider herself as a passive type in bed, yet she couldn't do anything but hug him, to not lose contact with his body while he took possession of her neck...which he bit punctually. She felt his hand abandoning her right side, moving to the back...

He didn't seem to mind at all by the fact that she wasn't participating fully. House proceeded to take off that pretty and very sexy lace bra, but that in that occasion was very outdated.

She opened her eyes abruptly, realizing where his hand was "Wait..." she murmured, but when his lips went to kiss and tease with his tongue her nipple through the soft lace bra, her mind said "Keep going".

He abandoned it soon after to slide down the right strap of the bra, in one way or another he'd have taken it off. He bit her slowly, forced to stop holding his breath when he felt her hands going down to the edge of his towel. He arched his back when he felt her tongue on his neck. She kissed his beard several times 'till reaching, finally, those lips which she was beginning to forget the taste; but the moment she was going to kiss him, he moved to her neck immediately, nibbling it and making her laugh.

House's hands pressed on her hips, his mouth on her neck. Cameron stifled a moan, tightening her hold over his shoulders.

Now it was enough, it was too much to not react at all. She felt his hand sliding off the zip of her pants naturally...too naturally. She didn't even know where and how he had gained it, but when he did it she moaned, pushing her hips against his. She not only got an answer from him, but despite all the enterprise and security, her caresses and kisses had got the desired effect, again...

She moved his hand away and grabbed his towel, sliding her left hand on his butt that was definitely better than she had imagined secretly. She noticed only when he grabbed her hand with arrogance, blocking it over her head, that she had came near to his scar, but she ignored that abrupt gesture, almost possessive, because she told herself that she could give up that caress If she could still feel his lips travelling on the bare skin around the bra. His tongue went lazily to her jaw, soon after returning to her neck.

And then, well, then there were his hands that knew exactly where to touch, especially how. She felt him trying to take off her pants. She lifted his face looking for his lips but he moved away immediately...almost frightened.

Cameron missed a beat, stopping his hands. He lifted his face and her hands started to caress his forehead, up to his lips that she touched with the thumb. He stared at her terrified.

She needed it, because...because a kiss is something very intimate, more than sex; by a real kiss you can understand many things, a kiss cannot lie...

House was breathless, trapped by her eyes, by her hair on his hands that where on either side of her face, by her irregular breathing, by her chest that touched his, by her skin as wet as his now. Perhaps it was because of this hypnosis that he realized only later that her lips were following the path of her thumb.

They stayed like that: she was lost analizing his lips with slowness and caution; he stared at her wide-eyed, still unable to rationalize. He stopped the moment she began to play with his lower lip, sucking it slowly, while he mechanically joined that movement, finally closing his eyes.

She abandoned his mouth to draw his head closer, focusing on the upper lip. They broke away for a moment, for a breath, then, as a tacit deal their mouths touched again with more enthusiasm. It seemed suddenly that the ears were burning, that they couldn't hear their breaths, their pants, their movements...

Their breaths became frantic...Cameron couldn't even think of breathing while his tongue caressed her lips and teeth.

House tried to sink into her mouth...that strange urge to cry, the need to push her away, feeling frustrated by every inch of skin that was pressing against him and that he didn't want to push away...

Their eyes ended on their inviting lips, and with small and slow movements they moved closer. Kisses slow and hurried at the same time. The anxiety was so intense that they could only caress their lips and tongue.

God...Kissing him, kissing him like that was incredible.

She moved to kiss those lips again, forgetting their taste so she could taste them again, but he drew back quickly.

She opened her eyes amused, smiling, with her arms still clasped behind his neck. She looked at him, turning serious. He was...He was sorry.

"Hey?".

He got up quickly, taking off her hands from his neck. He was standing in front of her in a second, he closed his eyes suddenly.

_'Fuck, fuck, fuck...Damn! You have treated her like a whore...'_ his mind yelled.

"What?" she asked.

"Go away..." he said automatically.

She was bewildered, looking at him, mouth agape, hands on the mattress. She sat up incredulous "What?".

"Go away..." he repeated.

He couldn't think or say anything else, he felt trapped even If she wasn't doing anything. He looked around in search of his cane.

"Look at me...".

"Go away..." he limped toward the bathroom.

Cameron jumped up and almost ran to stop him, grabbing him by the arm "Look at me!".

"I said go!" he pushed her away, causing her to lose balance, and he went in, slamming the door.

He stood for a moment to stare at himself in the mirror...Then, when he heard the door slamming, he slid on the floor.

TBC...


	47. Chapter 47

**Thanks Notinyourlifetimehoney =)**

**Chapter 47**

Wilson was in front of House's apartment and after the first five minutes of ringing the bell, he decided to use his keys. From experience, Gregory House was exponentially more dangerous in a group than alone, because when he was alone his exhibitionism tended to fade, the lack of an audience took away his verve, boredom weakened him.

The apartment was in total darkness, he stumbled into his cane on the floor and he saw his silhouette lying on the bed.

_'How the heck he has arrived there without the cane? !'_ Wilson thought.

Wilson saw him turning, rising on an elbow to see who had dared to wake him.

"Before I turn on the light" he put a finger on the switch "Have you turned on the stove to blow us up both?".

He didn't get a response as House fall back on the mattress.

"If you have done it, you'll have me on your conscience" and he turned on the light, and fortunately didn't follow any deadly explosion.

The TV was on, he noticed a paper bag on the ground in front of the bathroom "Do you always leave the dinner in the bathroom?".

Again no answer, he picked it up and put it on the table in front of the TV; when he turned back, House was sitting on the edge of the bed, rubbing his face. They stared at each other for a moment, Wilson smiled and handed him his cane; he noticed that the sheets were on the floor, so he had slept on the mattress and had only his boxers on.

"What, you are taking revenge for last night?".

"You can check in the bathroom, If you want..." he grabbed the cane and rose slowly, almost falling, Wilson grabbed him by the arms but House pushed him away, heading out of the room. House slumped on the couch with tired eyes. Wilson sat with him, loosening his tie, he turned to observe him: a thin film of sweat beaded his brow.

"You know..." he stopped thoughtfully.

House turned to him with a suffering look.

Wilson felt shaken "Cuddy knew that only the best pusher would be able to reach you" and he took a bottle of Vicodin from his pocket.

A slight smile formed on the face of the diagnostician "The guilt of that woman increases exponentially with the passage of time...".

"What?".

"Nothing..." he grabbed the bottle and took a pill, increasing the volume of TV, grabbing immediately the paper bag nearby soon after, taking out an egg roll. Wilson looked at him disgusted.

"Do you want one?".

"This stuff sucks when is hot...Let alone when is cold".

"So, where's the scotch?".

"Scotch?".

"The one you promised me a week ago, and I'm sure it's in your briefcase".

Wilson pulled it out, resigned. House took it and filled the glass on the table, which most likely had been there for a memorable date, he bit the egg roll and drank the scotch.

Wilson snatched the bottle from his hands, shocked "Take it easy! It's not water! Do you want to get drunk? !".

"Exactly" and reached out to take the bottle but Wilson moved away.

"Forget it!".

House snorted annoyed, took a t-shirt that was on the couch and put it on. He rose from the couch and went to the kitchen, returning with a mug and another bottle of scotch. Wilson shook his head, resigned. House filled the mug and handed it to him.

"No, thanks" Wilson answered.

"It depresses me to get drunk by myself, take part or at least pretend to take part".

Wilson grabbed the mug as the diagnostician sat down next to him, throwing down glass after glass. House had finished his bottle and the Wilson's; Wilson hadn't yet touched his mug.

"Do you want this too?".

"No, you'll need it soon".

Wilson looked at him blankly, followed by a good fifteen minutes of silence. He looked at his watch, it was after eleven and he turned to his friend who was throwing down the last glass of scotch. He went back to watching TV, without being able to explain why he was still there.

"What are you still doing here?".

_'He's impossible!'_ Wilson thought.

"Cuddy asked me to check that you didn't strangle with your own saliva...".

"God...I love all this shit that comes out of your mouth...".

Silence...He gripped the glass..."I kissed Cameron...".

Wilson stood still, then he grabbed the mug and threw it down all at once, the scotch that House had known he'd have used "And...".

"About a month and a half ago, in the lab...".

Wilson turned to him, getting up abruptly, shocked "A month and a half? ! You...a month and a half? !".

"What can I say, I had to elaborate" he was calm, trying to drink the last drops left in the glass.

The oncologist sat, rubbing his hair, then, he hit House on the leg...the bad one.

"God! Are you out of your mind! ? ! ? ! ?" House yelled, clutching his leg, face red, rocking in pain "You idiot repressed jew psychoanalyst!".

"You are an idiot! You should elaborate your own brain from time to time! You'd need a daily review, I suggest! You kissed her a month and a half ago and then...Then..." he put his hands in his hair, he looked at him as he tried to catch his breath, rubbing his leg, head thrown back against the back of the couch "You kissed her and sent her to Africa? ! But you can be more stupid? !".

House stood up grabbing the cane, Wilson put his legs on the coffee table preventing him from passing "Move...".

"No, now you sit down and tell me everything! Because If I'm not wrong, I was still on the fact that you didn't want to try that damn papaya pudding!".

"If you don't want me to puke on your $700 shoes, move!" House said loudly.

Wilson immediately moved away, allowing him to reach the bathroom.

House washed his face a dozen times as memories returned in his head..Her soft hair, only her lips were something better...That taste...That unique taste, just hers, that he couldn't bear to have in his sheets, after what he had done.

_...Slow and hurried and eager kisses...The anxiety was so intense that they could only brush their lips and tongues..._

_...Gone..._

"How do you feel?" Wilson asked from outside the bathroom.

House looked in the mirror "Disgusting..." he muttered.

Wilson didn't hear him but when he saw him coming out, he noticed that he was in a bad state "Did you know that a dog's stomach acids can erode the bones? News that would have came in handy before you threw down painkillers for animals".

House ran a hand through his hair as Wilson sighed, getting up from the couch.

"And then what you did?".

House chuckled like an idiot, staring at his bare feet on the floor, he looked up at him "Nothing, I couldn't do anything...Or maybe...Or maybe yes".

* * *

><p>House entered the hospital with his head down, crossing the hall as quickly as possible, the last thing he needed after a two-hour discussion with Wilson...No, he hadn't said everything, to be honest he hadn't said anything, only the kiss in the lab, only that one, without explaining what had happened either before or after. Well, after that kind of discussion with Wilson, who knows James Wilson as Gregory House, knows that deep down, besides being a psychologist, he loves to listen to the others, to be able to help them, that's why House's confessions always ended up being a fight. He didn't want help, and Wilson wouldn't stop to offer it to him.<p>

_"When we'll be old and in a hospice, I'll be the one who flirth with the nurses and you the one who play canasta!"._

_Wilson glared at him, standing in the doorway, then he smiled "You are already old House!"._

TBC...


	48. Chapter 48

_Thanks Notinyourlifetimehoney =)_

**Chapter 48**

House hurried to the elevator because he had spent almost four _exciting_ hours vomiting, a bit for Rymadil, a bit for the egg rolls, and he didn't even want to look at anyone.

"House?" Cuddy called him.

_'Damn!'_ House thought.

He hit the floor with his cane, that was exactly why he was almost running to the elevator. He turned to her, smiling.

"God...You look horrible" Cuddy said, reaching him.

"Thanks, you too".

Cuddy pulled a phial from her pocket, he smiled with satisfaction before grabbing it. But then, he frowned.

"Hey?".

"Did you really think that I'd have given you more Vicodin? It was just to get you out of bed where I knew you'd be for days, vegetating. Acetaminophene with codeine".

The elevator arrived.

"Acetaminophene with codeine...How much do you like to say it...Hey, where's my list?".

She looked at him blankly, getting in the elevator "Oh god, do you really have a blacklist? You are becoming a bit obsessive, House".

"For the interviews, you genius!".

"Three assistants are enough for your department, House!".

House stood in the elevator, staring at her as she frowned frightened.

"What?".

"She hasn't gone yet?" he asked.

"Do you mean Cameron?".

He rolled his eyes, annoyed that she didn't understand, annoyed that the elevator didn't go faster, annoyed about not being able to walk correctly and take the stairs "No, my grandmother. Obviously I mean Cameron!".

"Hey, calm down! No, however, she hasn't gone. She's staying".

From annoyed he passed to be worried "When did she say it?".

"Yesterday afternoon, why?".

"And now you haven't seen her? I mean, today? Where is she?".

This time Cuddy was getting upset by his attitude "Where on earth do you want her to be, House? ! Where you should have been since nine in the morning!".

"Therefore, she's in the conference room" he got out the elevator while the doors were starting to close.

She looked at him surprised "I'm not surprised that you graduated with honors! You are so, so clever!".

House ignored her and limped toward the office, swallowing the last Vicodin. He stood in front of the door, Foreman and Chase weren't there yet, the first was on duty, the second...he wasn't interested in knowing, it was enough that he wasn't there.

She was at the coffee machine, like every day, like every damn day of the last three years...Only that in the last three years that was the first morning that he saw her, not just after he had disappointed her, those mornings, well, he had lost count of them...Last night went well beyond the humiliation, the disappointment and many other things, he was sure.

He entered, closing the door behind him. She jumped for an instant, knowing full well that he was there. They stayed like that for a while.

Cameron didn't turn, appealing to all her strength to stop her hands and voice from shaking "Cuddy gave a new case to Chase half hour ago, he's doing the routine tests while Foreman finished his turn in clinic and is with him now. I'm completing the family history" she informed him.

"Ok...".

Clenched fists, she turned and went to her desk with her head down, she saw the unmistakable sneakers in front of her and she looked up, he wasn't in front of the door, he was facing her with a strange expression that she couldn't classify because she had never seen it.

"Do you hate me, Cameron?" he asked.

She remained motionless, showing the obvious signs of a continuous crying "No House, I've stopped hating you..".

He seemed reassured by her words, almost relaxed.

She couldn't stop staring at him "...I don't feel anything for you anymore...".

House opened his mouth without saying a word.

"...The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference" she said and collected the folders on the table.

He turned to look at her "Allison, I...".

She turned like a fury "You have no right to do that, am I clear?".

"Yes...".

She picked up the last folder and went to the door, she couldn't stay there.

"There is anything I can do to make you hate me again?" he muttered.

"No" and she was gone.

_TBC..._


	49. Chapter 49

_Thanks to GBX & Notinyourlifetimehoney =)_

**Chapter 49**

_"I'm coming!" House went out quickly from the bathroom and limped to the door._

_'She's early, she's to be new, I know. And I'll have to explain her everything. For $250 she might not arrive early!' he thought annoyed._

_Yeah, she was definitely new._

_"So, you don't talk, don't ask me questions, don't look at me or touch my leg, don't kiss me and when we're done, you'll take the money and go out" he said quickly, without looking up._

_"As always, but you can keep your money with me"._

_He looked up suddenly, recognizing her voice, seeing Cameron in front of him, who pushed him inside and closed the door behind her. He was paralyzed and so he just stared at her._

_"What the -" but she stopped him with a kiss, undoing his shirt, smiling._

_"You can allow me a few kisses..." she muttered._

_"What?"._

_She pushed him into the bedroom, stripping off her sweater._

_"Wait" but her tongue entered his mouth strongly, looking for his._

_He let her lead him towards the bed without really understanding what was happening. She unbuttoned his jeans and pushed him against the bed. She moved back from his lips, taking off his t-shirt. Then, she climbed on his knees._

_"I..."._

_"I want you and you want me, right?" and she took off her blouse as she caressed his chest with hers, licking his neck._

_"Right..."._

_She made him lie down, rubbing against him with slow movements of her hips, her left hand caressed his chest, her right one slipped between their bodies, touching his zip and sliding it down slowly, sucking his earlobe. In that moment his blood stopped to arrive to the brain, he grabbed her face to kiss her but she drew back, he looked at her blankly._

_"Is this what you want?"._

_"What?"._

_A moment later she was standing, taking his $250..._

House woke up like a terrified child, overexcited and panting like a sixteen years old "Shit..." he ran a hand through his hair, lying down...He had done it again.

Now he didn't just do "normal" dreams, If you could define them normal dreams, in the last three months he had done a lot of dreams of her: while making coffee or in the lab or at his computer to check the emails...But now this was the first dream, or rather nightmare, in which she spoke.

He stood up and went to the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror "You are pathetic...".

He looked at his watch, 7:30am. He opened a drawer, pulling out two bottles, one of acetaminophene with codeine, the other with contramal, he had discovered that the horses' stomach was much more sensitive than the dogs'. Also, he could sort them by Internet, USA was a very great country. He went to the window, swallowing the new mix, and pulled back a curtain, closing it soon after, blinded by the light.

_'But why the hell it never rains in March here? !'_ he thought.

He went into the kitchen, grabbing a donut and then he threw himself on the couch. No, he'd not go to the hospital, maybe If it was raining, at least in that case he could have spluttered with mud someone with the bike. He'd say to Cuddy that he was with the lawyer.

Yeah...

The trial had been a week after she was gone, which had occurred two days after that brilliant conversation in his office.

He snorted, annoyed and perpetually pissed off for three months now.

_##Two and a half months ago##_

_"All standing! Presiding judge Askly"._

A woman in her sixty with short and white hair came in as House was sitting next to his lawyer while Tritter was smirking like an idiot, worse than the Grinch, on the other side of the room, waiting for the verdict that would put him behind bars. He had been his thorn in the side of the last four months.

"Why he's smirking...idiot..." House muttered.

"Dr. House, please..." his lawyer begged him.

"Dr. House, there's some problem?" the judge asked.

"No, Your Honor, everything is okay" the lawyer said.

"To tell the truth, I might have a problem" House said.

The lawyer ran his hands through his hair, exasperated, while Wilson and Cuddy sighed resigned. Foreman and Chase were behind their bench, called to testify in his favor, and Chase in a very disappointing way as House had told him.

"And what is your problem, Dr. House? I hope that you are not bored again".

"No, by the grace of God this farce is going to end today...".

The judge widened her eyes while Tritter smirked even more.

"I have a question: objectively speaking, you'd have kept the rectal thermometer in him for 24 hours?".

"Dr. House!".

"If you want me to help you, please, I'm begging you here, shut up until the verdict" the lawyer whispered.

"Ok...".

"Thank you".

"The defendant stands up" the judge told him.

House snorted annoyed.

"Gregory House, I find you not guilty about the charge of pushing because the crime doesn't exist".

House turned to Tritter, smirking "How about now?".

"Attorney, calls to order your client or I'll have to accuse him of contempt of court!".

"Please, House...".

House turned to the judge who was staring at him angrily.

"Thank you very much".

"You're welcome".

The lawyer sighed exasperated.

"About the charge of drug abuse during your profession, I'll postpone the hearing".

House stared at her shocked "What! ?".

"Calm down" the lawyer told him.

"No way! My accusations are two now! ?".

The judge glared at him, upset.

"Your Honor, he's joking, he knows exactly what are his charges. My client suffers from chronic pain, If you've read his file...".

"I've read his file, but there are conflicting elements here".

"Oh, please!".

"Dr. House, another word and I'll get you arrested! The hearing is postponed on April 13th, at nine".

"Yeppa!" he turned to Tritter "The best Christmas for you, right?".

"Oh yes...".

"What, someone killed your Pitbull when you were a child? Or your grandmother died hit by a drug-addicted?".

Tritter just smirked.

"Dr. House!" the judge called him.

"So what? You find satisfaction exasperating me?".

"What now, House? As well as taking away you pills, your favorite ball ended out of the window?".

"And what If you end up out of the window?".

"It's a hard to imagine it, you are a cripple. You'd be the one out of the window".

"Detective Tritter! ? Dr. House, it's my last warning!".

"Yes, Your Honor".

And the judge stood up and went away.

_"All standing!"._

House left the room and found everybody outisde "Well, I'd say it went well. Where we're going to celebrate?".

They glared at him as his lawyer came out.

"Leiman?" Cuddy called him.

"Sorry, I'm done. It's impossible to defend someone who doesn't want to be defended!" and he walked away down the hall.

"I'm done too. Be on your own now" Cuddy said angrily and walked away, followed by Foreman and Chase.

The diagnostician turned to Wilson "How is your lawyer's bill?".

"He's a divorce lawyer" Wilson sighed frustrated.

"And how much is his bill?".

"It means that he's specialized in divorces!".

"It's perfect, I want to divorce from Tritter, I don't like to have him breathing on my neck and then his hair, it seems like an omelet fell on his head..." he winked "You are more my type".

Wilson shook his head, chuckling "I'll find you a lawyer, an excellent lawyer, but you come with me to see the apartments" and he moved away.

House widened his eyes, following him "Hey Jimmy, I was joking. I'm sorry If I've disappointed you during these years...".

"I'm tired of living in a hotel, you've been able to get a discount of twenty thousand dollars on your apartment".

"I'm glad you used the words 'your apartment', I don't do it for the others".

Wilson turned to him "I'll find you a lawyer".

"...And a dinner".

"Deal".

House walked away toward the exit.

"You heard of Cameron?" Wilson asked.

"Now you'll also have to by me lunch for a week" and he slammed the door.

"I see you know the news..." Wilson muttered.

_####_

House snorted nervously, turned off the TV and went to his bedroom.

TBC...


	50. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50**

Cameron yawned signing the last folders at the nurses' counter.

"Dr. Cameron".

"Dr. Keaton".

A doctor nearby went away a few moments later, Keaton stared at him until he disappeared around the corner, and then he jumped on the counter, smiling at her. She glared at him.

"Come on, ask me" he said smirking.

"What?".

"Where I'm going to take you tonight".

"You said it was a secret...".

"Hey, I ruined the surprise parties of my sisters I don't know how many times".

"Monster".

He took some licorice from his pocket "Not everyone knows how to keep secrets like you..." and he smirked.

"And how do you know that?".

"My guess, considering that three months ago you told me that it was necessary for you to stay in Princeton, and two days later you were with me at the airport...Not a word".

"What should I wear?" she ignored him.

He shook his head, chuckling "Ok, you'll talk in one way or another...sooner or later...".

"I'm not changing the subject, I asked your question".

He jumped down from the counter "Not too casual, elegant just right...And I'll come around 7:00pm" and he walked away backwards down the hall, playing with his liquorice.

She turned to him, incredibly serious "No".

"Why not? You can't stand me up. I'm 44 years old and I no longer accept '_no_' for an answer".

"We'll meet here at seven".

"Why?".

"Neutral territory...".

"Oh come on, Alice, we practically lived together for a month in Africa and now you come here and have all these problems?" he was adamant, arms folded.

If Danny had known her for more than five months, he'd have understood that there was no way to win against her.

He sighed and thought that it was really hard to say no to her "Ok, I'll be the beautiful and extremely sexy guy even without the labcoat".

"I'll remember it" she returned to the folders in less than a second but she found him almost under her nose, staring. She jumped.

"Well, If we'll meet here...How can I pretend to get lost and drag you to my amazing penthouse?".

She picked up the folders with a smile, turning to him "Poor you" and she went away.

"Oh yeah...".

* * *

><p>They had been sitting at that damn table for over 40 minutes and they seemed two perfect strangers.<p>

She wore a lovely strapless black dress, her hair loose over her bare shoulders, she hadn't kept them like that for so long, no necklaces, just two simple earrings. It didn't take too much to light her face.

He was flawless, khaki pants and blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up, showing his tattoo and a rubber bracelet that he took off only in the OR.

Seeing them from outside, they were perfect together.

_'Why on earth you are so timid every time you go out to dinner?'_ Cameron asked to herself. _'Because then you'll open your mouth and shoot a lot of stupid things like the dinner with House...NO, don't go there!'._

Danny snorted, dropping the chopsticks, and rubbed his chin.

_'God, you are acting like a baby! Open your mouth and say something!'_ Keaton thought.

"Daniel, listen..." Cameron started.

"Wow, it was better when you stood me up" he chuckled.

Cameron looked at him blankly "What?".

"Last time you called me Daniel was the first day we met..." he smiled almost nervously, running a hand through his hair. Then, he stood up.

"What are you doing?" Cameron asked.

"I'm taking you out of here".

"Why?".

"For three simple reasons: one, I hate this chair; two, this shirt is too expensive for me to continue eating with chopsticks, and I can't even eat with them because I've spent the last four years in Africa where you eat with your hands...but they told me this was the best place here; and third, when I was in front of the medical board judging my career, I felt less tense. So, we're going".

She smiled "Did you really think that I cared to be in the best place of the city?".

"Yeah...I think that there are several things of you thay I haven't understood yet..." he held out his hand to help her up.

"Do you really want to go?" she asked.

"No, I want to waste a lot of money to stay here uncomfortably with you. We can do it in the car".

They went out of the restaurant, waiting for a valet to bring back his car. They stared at the rain pouring down. Cameron snorted.

"It's always raining in New York?" Cameron asked.

Danny was standing with his hands in his pockets, grimacing "Well...It's usual during this time...".

"Great...I don't think I'll get used very easily...In Princeton and also in the Midwest, during this time there are some wonderful days..." she smiled "And you can see the stars...".

Danny's face brightened the moment the valet opened the door "Ok, I'm going to take you to a place, at least I'll earn a hug at the end of the evening".

Cameron got in blankly, she closed the door just in time before he peeled out.

TBC...


	51. Chapter 51

**I'm sorry for the lack of updates for this fic too...Hope to be more constant now = )**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 51<strong>

"It's dark and I can't see anything, you know?" Cameron said annoyed.

"You know that since we've got into the car you haven't stop talking?" Keaton smirked.

"But weren't you the one who wanted to take me away because I didn't talk?" she smirked.

"Truce?".

She felt his hands on her hips and jumped.

"Sit down" he murmured.

"Where?" his face was close to her neck and she could see his silhouette in front of her.

"Here" and he made her sit on a soft floor "Perfect".

"Now can you tell me where we are?".

"No" he chuckled.

"But -".

"My plan was to take you to a place where you could feel uncomfortable...".

"Oh, thank you" she said sarcastically.

"...But then, I opted for here!".

"Whatever this place is...".

"I'm a surgeon, I can't do things in a simple and boring way".

"We have to stay here in the dark for much longer?".

"Didn't we call a truce a few moments ago?".

"I don't know you, but I tend to get nervous in the dark and in a place that I don't know -".

She fell silent immediately when a starry sky appeared above her, admiring the Milky Way. A planetarium, a planetarium only for them. She turned to him that was lying down to admire the sky with a string of licorice in the mouth. He smiled.

"It's not like the real thing, but we New Yorkers have learned to correct even the adversities of nature. Liquorice?".

She smiled like a little girl in a carnival "You seemed strange without one of those in your mouth. I can feel the smell of hot dogs?" she asked curiously.

"I've never liked sushi, instead, I missed these in Africa" and he handed her a hot dog hidden nearby.

"Pickles?".

"I love them".

She smiled, he didn't understand why...They stayed for a long time to stare at the stars.

"But it's legal that we stay here?" she asked.

"Thanks to a friend of a friend of a patient, brother of a girl that I slept with".

"Why I asked..." she rolled her eyes and turned to him with a smile "Can I drive your car?".

"I'm very possessive about Nicole" he said seriously.

"It has a name now?".

"For me, she's like my personal Nicole Kidman..." he said dreamingly.

Cameron looked at him with her eyebrows up "You are really weird".

"Thank you" he smiled and stood up, helping her to do the same "If you promise me not to exceed 130 km/h, you can drive it" he sighed drammatically.

"Why, it can go faster?" she said excitedly.

* * *

><p>"I'm begging you, let me put the sequential gearbox".<p>

"No, whatever it is...I'm doing good".

"It's your foot that bothers me...".

They were at a traffic light and she turned to him, smiling mischievously.

"So, doctor, where is your mega penthouse?".

He was speechless, definitely not expecting that...and then her look "Are you kidding me?".

"To the right or left?" she ignored him.

"Straight".

He made her stop in front of a big building and a man in blue livery approached them with an umbrella.

"Wow...".

"No one has ever told you that it's dangerous to go to see the butterflies collection of a man?" he smirked.

She pretended to be surprised "Do you have a butterflies collection?".

"Dr. Keaton, welcome back" the doorman greeted them.

"Thank you, Henry".

They took the elevator that Cameron was sure was larger than her kitchen. The doors opened directly into his loft.

"Voila'!".

She was fascinated by the view from the windows in the living room, along all one wall, you could see all of Manhattan. She stopped by placing her hand on the cold glass while the rain was still beating down on the terrace, on the Brooklyn Bridge, on the Empire State Building. And she was almost certain that that set of streetlamps were...

"Central park" Keaton said behind her, one hand on her hip.

"It's...It's beautiful" she whispered.

"Mmm...It's not bad. So, do you want a drink?".

"After the hot dog?".

He smiled "Yes, after the hot dog...I have white wine, red wine, beer...".

"Let's see..." she said thoughtfully.

"Vermount, martini without Clooney, scotch?".

_House..._

"White wine will be fine" she answered, shaking her head.

"Ok, I'll be back in a second. Ah, don't be scared, his name is Lewis".

She turned, noting a cat on the leather couch, a pair of yellow eyes staring at her. She went to him, scratching the neck of the big cat,  
>making him purr.<p>

"You are aware that this cat is obese?".

"I guess you've never left an animal in your sister's house with her little girls of twelve, ten and eight years old, right?".

"No" she smiled amused.

"I guessed so. However, he's happy with me".

Cameron looked around, admiring the ultra modern apartment: a library along all the wall full of books, some of them stacked on the ground, stereo system, CDs, electric guitar in the corner, a basketball signed by anyone most likely, on a shelf there were a lot of pictures taken in Africa with children. An atmosphere treated in detail, nothing left to chance, like him after all. She was sure that the rest of the house was like this.

"I can see why...".

The cat ran away in a room and she got back to the window, who knows what was the weather in Princeton... She closed her eyes immediately, no, she couldn't do this. She hadn't stopped to talk with the others, especially Chase, and she had never asked anything about House, she didn't want to, so she knew nothing about his trial and how he had taken her departure, it didn't matter. But despite all, she thought of him from time to time...After all she had worked for and with him in the last three years...Yeah...Suddenly, she felt in the wrong place, in delay of three years...

"Your wine".

She turned for a moment towards him, showing a faint smile and then turned back to the city that seemed very calm and quiet from there.

"Everything ok?".

_No..._

"Yeah".

"You know, If you dressed like this in hospital, I'd have more patients in surgery. We can make a deal" he saw her smile reflected in the glass "So, you're beginning to like New York?".

"It's beautiful...".

"But it's not Princeton...".

She turned to him who was smiling calmly.

"What? It's normal, it took me months to get used to New York after Boston. It's normal" he smiled at her and she smiled back, trying to believe in those words, to convince herself that she had finally left everything behind...The Department of Diagnostic at the PPTH...Then...Then there was that offer a week ago that was still pounding in her head, bringing back a lot of memories...

_# # # # # Three months ago # # # # #_

_"I know you wanted to stay, you told me that you didn't think it was the right moment to give up, what has changed since last night?" Cuddy asked._

_"Everything" she said staring in the space._

_Cuddy didn't understand, then she remembered that that morning House had asked for the list for interviews "Something happened that I need to know? If it's for something that House said or did, don't care about it, I'll -"._

_Cameron smiled wistfully "No, you can't do anything...Thanks for everything, it was a pleasure to work for you"._

_They shook hands and then Cameron became incredibly serious._

_And If he...And If he..._

_"Don't worry, House won't refuse to sign your resignation" Cuddy assured her, understanding her worries._

_"Thank you..."._

_"I'm losing one of my best immunologist and the only one that can manage to keep him in line..."_

_"I'm sure, as always, that you'll be more successful than me..." and she went away._

_##########_

"Maybe it's better If I take you home..." he moved his hand away from her side and she turned to him, looking at her in astonishment "What's the matter, baby doll?" he smiled.

Without wanting to admit even to herself why, she found herself kissing him, her fingers ticklin' his short hair. She lowered her hands to his lips, still kissing.

_'What I'm doing?...'_ she thought.

She broke away quickly, putting a hand over her mouth, staring at those eyes as dark as night, a warm smile, full, delicate, vibrant, that for a moment made her forget everything. They stared at each other, motionless, then...He approached her brushing her shoulders, a shiver when he kissed her neck.

"You are shivering..." he whispered.

_House..._

She took his face in her hands, kissing him hungrily while he was leaning with his hands on the glass. Her hands from his face went down to the edge of his shirt and took it off. He had a toned chest but not too much, which adhered perfectly to her chest. He began to kiss her right shoulder.

Cameron closed her eyes and dropped her head back, exposing her neck to his little kisses. He took advantage of her movement to take care of her left shoulder. He was undoubtedly sweeter than House...

_'No! Don't compare them!'_ she shouted in her head.

She began to stroke his back that was warm and smooth, her hands followed the lines of the muscles to the center of the abdomen, he was shivering due to the excitement that was becoming more alive.

Keaton's hand moved to the back of her dress that took it off with ease. She took off her heels and kicked the dress away. Cameron lowered the zip of his pants but he didn't give her the time, lifting her from the ground and holding her close to him.

Through the lace of her bra he captured a nipple and sucked it almost greedily. She opened her eyes, taken aback. He took off her bra and gently began to touch her breast, she immediately replied arching her back with pleasure.

Her eyes were closed but she could see him perfectly: his hands behind her back, cold because of the contact with the glass.

He pulled her closer and felt her legs crossing behind his back, their hips closer while her arms copied the position of her legs around his neck. He moved a hand from her back, caressing her neck with his tongue.

He dropped his pants, unable to wait any longer to be inside her...She understood and moved away from his body, biting his neck.

"Let's go..." he said breathlessly.

"No...Here" she answered.

He nodded, lifting her again and taking off her panties. He caressed her legs, passing a hand on her stomach while his head buried in her neck. Her long hair caressing him.

Whit his hands touching her back, he lifted her a little more, finally inside her. He moved very slowly, to get used to that pleasure, then he increased the pace returning to kiss her neck. His hands went down to her behind for support, it was a quite exhausting position for both...But it was worth it.

He sought her lips that bit his quickly as her nails scratched his back.

* * *

><p>Cameron woke up with his hand on her side. She looked at the clock on the bedside table before slipping out of bed.<p>

TBC...


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter 52**

Cameron was sitting on a bench outside the hospital while it was still raining, when she felt the aroma of coffee near her.

"This morning in your place I found Lewis staring at me angrily, working his nails on my arm" Keaton said as he gave her the coffee. She smiled sweetly.

"Why did you leave in a rush?" he asked.

"I coulnd't come to work dressed like that..." she tried to apologize.

"And why not? I already told you that it's a sort of incentive for heart attacks" he winked "Ok, let's start from the beginning. Goodmorning Allison".

"Daniel...".

He sighed, looking down.

"I've been called for a consult in another hospital...".

"And when that happened?" he asked.

"A week ago...But I'm not sure...".

Keaton sat down next to her, pulling out an envelope from his pocket "It's the Saint Mary, right?".

She turned to look at him surprised "How do you know?".

"You've become a coveted prey. Since you've been here you've thrown yourself into work, doing a publication after another. It took me three months to convince you to go out with me" he smirked.

"I like my job! Is it a crime?" she said annoyed.

"No, it's not...I don't know why, but I'm thinking about our discussion about half measures...".

It was true, she had no half measures. When she decided to do or want something, she went all the way down without stopping at nothing except for...She shivered because of the suddenly cold breeze.

"I think you should go, it's the right thing to do, and from what little I know about you, I know that you always do the right thing. And no, I'm not deciding for you".

Cameron smiled, perhaps it could be defined as empathy, but it was nice to have someone there for you. With House it was the same thing, but then it was more a matter of looks but, however, now it was all gone, not after that night at his apartment.

Keaton handed her the envelope:

_For House_

She stared at him without taking the envelope "I'm not going back to him".

"Hmmm, ok, but can you give him this anyway?".

"Probably I'm not even going to see him because I'll be at the Saint Mary all the time".

He smiled, putting the envelope in her pocket "Will you think of me while looking at the stars?".

She turned to hug him while he was smiling, as always.

"I wasn't hoping for an everlasting love, I just wished to wake up next to you...Just for one morning..." he confessed.

"We will always have Africa...".

"Yeah..." he nodded, smiling.

* * *

><p>"What happened with the lawyer yesterday?" Wilson asked as he entered House's office while the diagnostician looked through his CDs' collection, that he had there because his apartment was already too full.<p>

"What?".

"Lawyer. Yesterday. Why did not you come in yesterday morning?".

_'Oh, yeah...I said I was with the lawyer...'_ House thought.

"Good, everything good".

"Great" Wilson sat and stared at House.

House stared at him too, annoyed "No! Enough! I'm not going to do interviews again, forget it! You and Cuddy can choose the right candidate, I'm ok with that".

"Well, that's for sure since no one lasted even a month. You fired a woman two hours after her hiring" Wilson sighed.

"Do you think I beat some records?".

Wilson leaned forward, placing a medical journal on the desk. On the cover there was the name of Cameron "She published another article...She's doing great...".

House gave him the journal back, returning to his CDs "I know that she wrote another article, I can read too".

"Chase talked to her a few days ago" Wilson informed him.

House turned to him "My leg hurts".

That was the signal _'get out of my way or change the subject'_. House focused on some folders on his desk to sign since Chase forged his signature very poorly.

"And if you you were wondering, she's fine".

_'Shit...'._

He hoped selfishly that she wasn't fine "I wasn't wondering, but thanks for the information...Do you want to tell me something else? When I have to do other interviews?".

"You don't have to do them, there's a rumor around that you're a tyrant. There's no immunologist, man or woman, in all the States that would want to work with you".

House smirked as Wilson walked toward the door.

"Do you think...Yeah, well...Nothing" Wilson turned again to the door and opened it.

"She'd not have been stayed anyway..." House muttered.

Wilson left the office. He didn't know what had happened at House's apartment before his arrival that evening, but If he had known, other than threatening House, he'd have accused and punished him in any way. He'd have sent him to New York to get her back. House grimaced at the thought and opened the desk drawer and took out the same medical journal of Wilson's.

TBC...


	53. Chapter 53

_Thanks to the readers who reviewed : ) And welcome to the new followers!...Hope to hear about your thoughts on the story ; )_

_I'd like to refresh my personal premises about this fic: I'm not English, so I'm sorry for the possible grammatical errors, please, I'm open to suggestions and corrections, everything is good to improve; I'm the translator of the original Italian story 'The Experiment' by MartaH&Conly & kiara588 : )_

**Chapter 53**

"Thank you again for agreeing on such short notice" the director of the Saint Mary hospital said.

"No problem, it's a pleasure to help you" Cameron smiled.

Two days after her conversation with Danny, she had packed a small suitcase and had gone away. Now she was back in Princeton, at the Saint Mary hospital, currently with the director of the hospital.

"You left New York for us, this is truly an honor".

She smiled shyly, not yet accustomed to all these compliments "Do not exaggerate Dr. Pierce, also, it's the duty of every doctor to go where there's the need, am I right?".

Benjamin Pierce, in his sixties, noticeably tired of their walking around the corridors of the department because of his size 24, smiled amused "It'd be a heaven If everybody thought like you do, just hearing the epithet 'doctor' increases the number of enrolled at university...".

They stopped in front of an office where three doctors were discussing around an oval table.

"Well, I'm going to introduce you to your employees that will update you on the case and assist in the process" he was about to enter but Cameron grabbed him by the arm.

"Wait, employees?".

He smirked, looking like a Santa Claus with a white coat "Well, I'm giving you the case as well as the department, they are an integral part of both. I'm sure you'll do a great work here. They're still interns, but they're good elements".

Cameron looked terrified at the three doctors in the office. They were younger than her, two women and a man who apparently was currently the target of some joke.

"When do you think to go back to New York?" Pierce asked.

She still looked hesitant. _'Her employees'_. She felt like the substitute teacher in an elementary school with the glue on the chair "I still haven't decided anything...I don't know If I'll go back there, I'm considering every possibility".

"Well, then I hope we'll be one of your possibilities" Pierce smiled.

Cameron turned to him immediately "What?".

"The possibility of running this department for more than a few weeks would be considered as a possibility for you? See, we're desperately looking for someone who is willing to work here! Moreover, it would be like a return to origins for you, being here in Princeton".

Shocked, that was the last possibility in her mind...

"Well, I don't expect an immediate answer, but I hope you'll think about it. Now, introductions" Pierce opened the door and the three doctors turned to the door.

Cameron took a deep breath, trying to appear more authoritative as possible.

_'Think about Cuddy, think about Cuddy, think about Cuddy...'_ Cameron thought.

"Dr. Jerrins, Dr. Andrews, Dr. Russell, this is Dr. Cameron and she will supervise you in the Moswy case. Well, I'll leave you now" and he left the office, leaving a Cameron almost petrified in front of the three doctors.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Cameron. I'm Geremy Jerrins. I read your latest publications" he squeezed her hand smiling too cordially.

"As always, Geremy is the usual ass-kisser...".

Cameron turned to the youngest blonde doctor, her hair and clothes were flawless.

"Elisabeth Andrews, virologist. For the record, Geremy is the ass-kisser of the team" she smirked as Jerrins glared at her.

"Since they have already introduced themselves, I'm Joanna Russell and I'm here temporarily. I'll specialize in Pediatrics next year".

Cameron sat, smiling at the three doctors, trying to remember why she had agreed to get into that situation.

_'Ah yes, you're here because you ran away from New York after sleeping with a colleague after escaping from Princeton...Running away is the thing I do best lately...'_ Cameron thought.

"Good. Now, tell me about the patient" Cameron said.

"Alan Moswy, twenty-four years old, admitted with respiratory infections. Immediately after being admitted here, he has developed: sinusitis, ear infections and chronic bronchitis" Russell reported.

"After episodes of pharyngitis, I guess" Cameron said.

"Yes. The final diagnosis was of antibody immunodeficiency" Jerrins said.

Cameron was flipping through the patient's record "Wait, If this is the final diagnosis, then why he was tested for Di George's? The counts of B or T cells were already enough for the diagnosis".

The three doctors looked at each other, confused. Andrews adjusted her glasses, awkwardly "The diagnostician wanted to check the serum levels before the IMG's results. To tell the truth, even before getting the patient's consent".

Cameron continued to stare at the folder, frowning...Then a doubt, a series of irrational diagnosis, inconsistent analysis, contrasting therapies. She looked up at them "Ok, who did the diagnosis?".

The virologist smiled "How many diagnosticians do you know that are able to make a diagnosis of antibody immunodeficiency in less than a week, practicing in Princeton?".

Cameron smiled, then turned incredibly serious "No, wait, If it was House...I mean, Dr. House, why the patient wasn't transferred to Plainsboro?".

"Apart from the fact that it is a miracle that the patient didn't request a restraining order?" Russell sighed.

Cameron grimaced "Once it happened...".

The three looked at each other speechless as she chased away those thoughts and focused on them again "You couldn't delegate the case to his immunologist?".

"He has none, only a neurologist and an internist If I'm not wrong" Jerrins said.

She remained thoughtful for a moment "Well, about the therapy, I guess he's already doing a therapy other than that".

"Can I ask you a question?" Andrews asked.

"Sure".

The blonde smiled "How did you survive for three years? He's completely crazy".

"In addition to being sexist, he doesn't appreciate the work of the others" Russell added.

"And he behaves like a bastard" Jerrins said.

The immunologist smiled "He doesn't behave, he's a bastard...The picture that you made is perfect, anyway".

"He wrote on the windows because we didn't have a whiteboard!" Russell remembered and stood to move aside the curtains, where there were listed a number of symptoms in an unmistakable handwriting...at least for the immunologist.

"It's a permanent marker!".

"I see".

"He brought a ball with him with whom he tormented the wall and us!" Jerrins said.

"And we want to talk about when he went out to drink his coffee or when he sent us home because he had to watch _General Hospital_?" Andrews snorted.

"What are you complaining about? At least you didn't have to break in the patient's home" Jerrins said.

Cameron fixed her hair, smiling, putting on her glasses "Yes, well, sometimes he's weird...".

"Sometimes? ! With all due respect for his reputation and his genius, he's completely incapable of co-exist normally with other human beings. Him being here has been...I don't know...devastating!" Andrews said.

Cameron shook her head, If he had acted with them as he had done with her, Chase and Foreman...Well, they had every right to be upset about that first day...A first day that they'd have never forgotten...

_# # # # # Three years ago # # # # #_

She was sitting in what would have been her "home" for the next five years, so it said the contract that the director of the hospital, she didn't remember the name, had repeatedly reminded be rescindible at any time, even after only one day. She didn't see why, given that the idea of working for Gregory House was highly exciting. His fame preceded his own image, in fact, she had never seen him.

Obviously she had arrived early, she did that whenever she was agitated. Control was necessary...

"Hi".

She turned towards the door of the conference room, where a black man in his thirties and with a beaming smile stood.

"Erick Foreman".

"Allison Cameron, it's a pleasure" they shook hands.

Then, they saw a blond guy running toward the room, opening the door.

_'Definitely he cannot be Dr. House...'_ she thought.

"Is this the Diagnostic department?" the guy asked out of breath.

"Yes, it's also written on the door" Foreman answered.

"Thank God..." the guy sat on a chair, taking off his shoulder bag "I asked for directions to a patient down in the Clinic and I ended up in the Morgue...Absurd. Anyway, I'm Robert Chase".

"Erick Foreman".

"Allison Cameron".

Chase studied her carefully from head to foot, smiling.

"Chase...It's familiar, why?" Foreman said.

Chase didn't answer, focused on the corridor in front of them, frowning "Do you think that he's House?".

They turned toward the door where there was a doctor eating a salad, observing them carefully. He had light brown hair and looked concerned.

"I...I don't think so" Cameron answered.

"I don't know, I talked to the assistant, an unnerving type, he played with his Game Boy and then told me that Dr. House was momentarily busy. Idiot, someone like that can be only an assistent" Foreman snorted.

"Ah, I think he's the same I spoke with. He asked some strange questions...He even asked me If I was a brown natural" Cameron said.

The doctor in front of the door was still there, then he turned to a woman approaching him.

"Lisa Cuddy" Cameron said.

They all turned to her perplexed.

"I couldn't remember the name a moment ago and now I can" Cameron sighed.

Cuddy walked in alongside with the doctor, smiling warmly at them "Dr. House will be here soon...I hope".

"Why you didn't buy him a hamster? You'd have spent less and the torture'd have been ethically acceptable".

Cuddy smiled exasperated "This is Dr. Wilson, the chief of Oncology, who was actually going to his office" and she motioned for him to leave, but he leaned against the door with a smile.

"No way, I have to take revenge since he was drunk at my wedding".

"What wedding? The one where you believed in the oaths or the one where you said you didn't know that loyalty was implicit? You know, you have to be more precise".

The doctors turned to the door where the man with whom they had done their interviews was sitting reading a magazine.

"The one where you told me that you had been at the bachelor party that I hadn't organised" Wilson rolled his eyes.

"Oh yes...And we're at three".

Wilson glared at him while House kept reading "I'm going to my office" and he went away nervously.

"Remember that the desk is a bad hiding place!" House yelled after him.

Cuddy stood in front of him "When you got here?".

"An hour ago or so..." he said still reading the magazine. Cuddy snatched it from him and he looked at her wryly.

"With twenty thousand dollars you can regain your virginity".

She rubbed her temples while the others were astonished by the behavior of the man "If you've been here for a while, why you didn't come out and talk to them?".

"I was studying them for you: she arrived earlier because she was already here when I came in; the black man arrived after her, so he was in delay. Useful informations for your school report?".

She ignored him, turning to the three doctors "Introductions are useless. House, be good" and she went to the door, returning him the magazine.

"No, wait a minute, he's Dr. House?" Foreman asked.

Cuddy turned to House who shrugged.

"What I can say, they always expect me to be tall, handsome and blond...Even If in that case reality'd be equal to imagination".

Cuddy went to him, frustrated "You had to do interviews with these people!".

"He told me he was Dr. House's assistant" Cameron said.

"Same here" Foreman added.

"He sent me to the Morgue!" Chase whined.

"Really, House?" Cuddy asked as he took his pills.

"I thought he was a patient, I asked him some informations and he sent me to the Morgue" Chase shook his head.

House chuckled, amused "Can I change the blond one? He's not very smart".

"I left some folder on your desk, choose one" Cuddy said.

"Boring...The first is for Cardiology, Surgery for the other two. You had to accept my proposal of three female assistants".

She looked at him shocked "But if I had to threaten you to hire at least one!".

"But I wanted someone like the Charlie's Angels: sexy and succinct bimbos".

"Have a good day House" and Cuddy went out quickly.

House turned to his new team, pointing to Foreman and Chase "You '98 and you '99" and pushed some boxes toward them. Then, he turned to her "Sorry, but I have no more unfinished folders to give you...But I'll find you something else to do".

"You want us to complete the archive? !" Foreman asked.

House smirked "Damn, now I see why you were the best of your course" he stood up looking for something while the team remained motionless "Come on! Do you need a written invitation?".

"Are you talking to me?" Cameron asked, confused.

"No, to the monkey with the organ that I see every time I take my pills" House said sarcastically and grabbed his cane, going into his office "Don't be jealous, our sunshine Cuddy already satisfy me from that point of view" he winked.

"Sunshine?" Foreman asked.

Cameron entered his office, looking around, while he moved a stack of magazines from a chair. Meanwhile, she noticed a little ball at her feet and bent down to pick it up.

"Don't" House said and she stopped hesitantly.

"Ok...".

He removed the last magazines, throwing them on the ground "You know how to use a computer? Do you know the existence of the Internet?".

"Uhm...Yes".

"Ehmm, perfect!".

She glared at him.

"Come one, don't tell me you're upset because of the story of the Charlie's Angels? Sunshine is always upset If she understands that she's not my only one".

"Sunshine as in Dr. Cuddy?".

He grimaced "Cuddy isn't funny...Anyway, I have three different mail boxes which I don't check since the Tomlinson's first message*".

She looked at him in disbelief "Do you want me to check your emails?".

"Well yeah. You know, I have a dual personality, there's me and the schizophrenic Hugo, who would like to make rough sex with you on this desk, but it would be reprehensible since I don't even remember your name".

She looked at him astonished "My name is Allison Cameron".

"Good, Cameron".

She glared at him.

"This way, I won't fall into temptation. So, that is the computer, the password is somewhere in a drawer. Bye" and he moved to the door.

"Where are you going?".

He turned "Cafeteria. I'm hungry, but If you want to go and get me a Rubens without pickles, cold, it's ok for me. I'll wait for you in my chair" and he opened the door, going out.

"We'd not be more useful in Clinic?" she yelled after him.

He turned smiling, a beautiful smile to tell the truth. Then, he took two pills "Great, to complete the trio: I have one from Australia, a pitbull...and a Red Cross nurse".

She was stunned as he limped away.

_#######_

Cameron adjusted her glasses.

"How did you do without killing him?" Andrews asked.

She wrote something on a folder "I went three thousand miles away...".

_TBC..._

*** - Ray Tomlinson, in 1971, sent the first e-mail in the story.**


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54**

"Etciu'! Damn...Etciu'!" House approached the hospital's exit struggling with a terrible cold. He saw Cuddy reading some folder near the nurses' counter "Give me my Vicodin, this cold is killing me!".

"They give antihistamines for allergies..." Cuddy said without looking up.

He stood before her "My leg is killing me, I cannot sleep!".

"What, your dealer is in bed with the flu?" Cuddy asked sarcastically.

'No, this stuff is killing me. That is the difference...' House thought.

"Something like that. I can't sleep. I'm getting nervous!".

Cuddy turned all her attention to him "Your leg does not hurt more since you've walked in the same way as in the past five years".

"You know, I walked better in the previous forty years!".

"Your leg is not worse than the last time. You're bored because you've been suspended for two weeks and you can only work in the Clinic. You're getting nervous because you have to go to the lawyer in less than two hours".

"I've a foolproof strategy: Wilson will testify on my behalf. He's Jew, he won't have problems to swear on the Bible".

Cuddy ignored him "_And_ you have become unbearable since you realized that _she_ can live in another city away from you".

This time, he ignored her "I was thinking, If you give me the Vicodin now and I stop taking it two weeks before, they won't notice anything in the urine samples for the process".

"They'll make the analysis on you hair, and they can go back to forty days before, so stop taking that stuff and give me the Adderal you took from my office".

He stared at her "I don't know what you're talking about".

"I had put some fluorine that paints your hands" she smirked.

"I love your chemistry lessons" House winked.

She ignored him knowing that he was diverting the conversation "This is the proof that it was you who also took the key of the morphine locker last month. I have to rummage in your pockets or what?".

House handed her the bottle as Cuddy walked away smiling. He turned toward the exit, sucking on a lollipop, when he saw Wilson chuckling.

"Do you remember that episode of The Simpson where Lisa does an experiment between a hamster and Bart, and she puts the pads connected to a sweet and the hamster stops trying to take it while Bart not?".

House glared at him as Wilson chuckled "If you and Cuddy decide to make a child, can you tell me first so I can emigrate?" and he walked away toward the exit.

"One day you'll tell me what the hell happened to make _her_ go away...".

House turned annoyed "I can tell you now If you have time. She noticed that she was diminished because we already have a first woman here, also, she disliked the idea of having the kangaroo around her everytime...And then, there was the opportunity to run away with the bull of Chicago! Hey, If I was her I'd have gone too" he left the hospital quickly, taking his bike.

Two minutes later he was riding like a mad man. He stopped at a red light, tapping on the tank.

_'God...I'm so bored...'_ he thought.

Every day the same street.

Every day the usual discussions with Cuddy for his Vicodin.

Every day exhausting...

Not even going to sleep, not even getting a healthy fuck with some unknown woman...

The plug...Yeah, he couldn't pull it off ever...

He looked around, snorting. The light turned green and he moved...but stopped a thousandth of a second later with the risk of causing a memorable accident chain.

He stared to his left.

_'Ok, now I've hallucinations too? !'_ he thought.

"No, it can't be..." he muttered.

"MOVE YOUR ASS! YOU IDIOT!".

He moved the bike on the sidewalk. He hated to have doubts, he wanted certainty, he wanted to be sure that she wasn't there.

House looked around, sighing, and got off the bike.

_'Ok, so, that is a hospital...It can be plausible...'._

He looked at entrance of the Saint Mary, trying to understand the combination of her and that place. Therefore, he decided to enter.

_'You go in, look around and If she's there, you run away before she has the chance to hit you with something...'._

There was a good number of persons in the lobby, nothing interesting. He began to wander the corridors.

"Can I help you, sir?" a nurse came to him as he looked around.

House hid between two shelves "Ehm, no, thanks" he moved away from there.

He saw her near the nurses' counter, tormenting a pen in her mouth. He stood there staring at her.

"Damn..." he muttered.

She was...She was just...Cameron...Exactly as he remembered her: hair pinned up, blouse poking out of the white coat.

She looked up from her folders, so he hid behind the first corner.

"Sir, are you sure to be okay?" the same nurse asked.

He rolled his eyes "No, can you give me some Vicodin?".

"Sorry, I'm only a nurse".

"Then go away!" House walked away nervously from his hiding place, hurrying to the doors. He looked to the counter but she was gone.

_'Obviously...'._

He turned a corner, frustrated, and looked up, finding himself in parallel with two green eyes that he hadn't seen for three months. He gaped as she stared at him.

Then, he smiled stupidly "Hi, what...What are you doing here?".

Cameron turned incredibly serious "None of your business".

She was cold, damn cold, he changed his expression in an instant.

She walked away toward the counter, breathing slowly. The instant he had opened his mouth, she had felt the hate for him again, she had wanted to beat him as that morning in his office.

"I thought you were in New York...".

"I thought you were at the Plaisboro".

He was at her side but she didn't look up from the folder that she didn't need to complete.

"You left without telling me..." he muttered.

There was again the tingling in her hand that put in her head the desire to slap him hard. She turned around toward him, who took a step back, frightened "Because you thought by chance to have some claim on me? !".  
>He hesitated for a moment "I...I never thought to have rights over you...".<p>

"How strange, in your bed it seemed that you thought the opposite" she didn't break the eye contact, and that was killing him. Since when he was the one who couldn't look at her?

He opened his mouth without knowing what to say. She was impassive.

Allison Cameron, his Red Cross nurse, that had never been _his_, now was another woman. He swallowed slowly and then opened his mouth again without uttering a word.

She grew impatient "Well, I have to work. You know, we are not all the sweetheart of the boss" and picked up some folder before going away.

"Can we talk?".

She looked at him shocked as he realized that the slap was imminent. She approached him, looking directly in his eyes. She wouldn't have believed to be able to be so cold, especially with him "I thought you weren't able to be so sly and slimy without feeling any remorse" and she quickly moved away from him, from the desire to scream in his face in front of a bunch of strangers.

"It's just that I wanted...Yeah...Why you are here?" he had followed her in front of the elevators.

She looked at him annoyed "I have a white coat, I'm a doctor, I'm in a hospital. They say you're a genius, I'm beginning to believe the opposite" she walked away in the direction of the stairs, knowing that there she was safe. She climbed the first few steps very quickly.

"So, did you quit?".

She turned, seeing him climbing the third step. He gave up, staring at his feet and touching his right leg. He looked up at her "Won't you go back to New York?".

"Probably. I'm just here for a consult" and she began to climb the stairs again.

"You know, I've learned how to make coffee. It's not as good as yours, but I'm beginning to get by".

She cracked a slight smile and he saw it, he was sure. He felt good as he hadn't for months, but she turned serious soon after. He stared at her from the first floor with the same look of that morning in his office.

"I have to go" she announced.

"You know, when I applied to college, my first choice was the Brown..Then, well, I evaluated it, the pros and cons...You know what? It doesn't matter, I have an appointment" he turned to go away.

She stopped "So what?".

He turned toward her slowly "Nothing, it's just that...The first choice is not always the right one...I went to the Hopkins".

She didn't flinch, she knew that it was a twisted way to say _'I'm sorry'_ "What do you hope to achieve with this output? ! Who has made the wrong choice between me and you?".

"Doctor? Doctor Andrews was looking for you" a nurse said from the door.

Cameron continued to stare at House, who didn't move an inch while the nurse waited for an answer "I'm coming. Bye House. Say '_hi_' to Chase and Foreman" and Cameron disappeared up the stairs.

He stood for a few moments, removing his hand from the railing and walking to the exit.

**TBC...**


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55**

Cameron arrived to the parking lot of the hospital, looking for the keys in her purse. She walked toward her car quickly, she just wanted to have a long, nice shower, eat something and go to sleep as soon as possible. She raised her head from the bag and stopped abruptly.

"I can't believe it" she muttered.

House was sitting on the hood of her car with a smoothie in hand "Can we talk now?".

"No! God! You're so...so...Go away!".

"We're in a free country, in a public place I can stay as long as I want" he smirked as she unlocked the car.

"This is my car and I can assure you I'd not feel guilty about smearing you on the asphalt. Go away!".

He didn't move from his position and kept staring at her "Did you cut your hair?".

"Ok, now I get in the car, I turn on the ignition and you'll be already far away from here" she told him seriously.

"Ok".

Cameron got into the car, put the keys in the ignition but the car didn't start...and neither at the first nor the second attempt. She opened and slammed the door, finding him leaning against a car nearby.

"Since your car is out, can we talk while waiting for a taxi?" he asked innocently.

"Have you tampered with my car?" she glared at him.

"I was with my lawyer" he defended himself.

"And that'd justify you in any way? !".

She took her bag from the backseat and went back to the hospital. He obviously followed her.

"I don't give a damn about talking of what happened or did not happen" he said seriously.

"Now I'm ready to melt in your arms!" she said ironically.

She tried to move faster, knowing that it'd have killed him.

"I need you to testify on my behalf, not even my judge could resist you".

Cameron turned to him, stopping in front of the hospital's entrance "What, you took that stuff for dogs again?" she said bitterly.

He remained serious although a bit surprised by her coldness "No...I...I have the trial in a month or so".

Cameron grew impatient, she didn't care, she didn't want know, she just wanted him to go away "I don't care, it's your problem, I don't see why I should care?".

House was stunned for a moment, then smirked amused.

_'Because you are a Red Cross nurse...'._

Perhaps for the first time in three years since she has known him, she knew what was going through his mind. She smiled annoyed "Oh yeah, because I'm a Red Cross nurse. Grow up, House" and she entered the hospital, followed closely by him. She spun around nervously from yet another invasion that up to five months ago she craved more than anything else "House, go away or I'll call the security".

He grinned, amused "The whole hospital knows who I am, except for one stupid nurse...".

"Well, If the whole hospital knows you, I won't have to say_ 'Not that one but the idiot cripple'_".

He followed her again but she distanced him with one hand the he didn't dare to touch.

"Listen to me, you can follow me from patient to patient until next Friday, or you can go to exasperate Cuddy who is more accustomed than me" and she walked away quickly toward the stairs. He didn't follow.

"So, you're going back to New York?" he asked.

She turned exhausted from that discussion, that more than a discussion was a monologue "Yes House, I'll be back to New York next week".

"So, you're not back to stay?...I have to know".

She looked at him for a moment, almost disappointed "No..." and she went off to the stairs but she clearly heard him saying "No to what? !".

She smiled amused...

_###_

_"They like you. Everyone likes you"._

_"Do you? I have to know" ._

_"No."_

_###_

She had always wondered which part he had answered...

TBC...


	56. Chapter 56

**Chapter 56**

_'Fantasia in D minor'_ echoed in his head while he played it. Mozart was for meditation, Bach for the imagination, Beethoven for the energy. Among them perhaps he was more at ease with Mozart: a genius kid died early, his talent never fully understood. Obviously, could House show modesty in a comparison about himself?

Some evening, in the twilight of the room, alone, he happened to see his fingers playing but not hearing the actual music. This was one of those nights, when the head was heavy like after a hangover, when you look out the window and realize you are the only idiot inside within ten miles during a wonderful evening, when the alcohol doesn't make you pull the plug, when you accuse a stupid leg for all your problems, when you solve all your problems by saying that it's because of a stupid leg that hurts...

But it's worst to sit like this, right?

His hands slam the keys with an abrupt gesture.

Never abrupt movements...It's not the fault of the piano...It never is...

Maybe it was for the daily life lessons, as well as the piano lessons, that he had stopped going...

He closed the piano, grabbing the empty glass of scotch. He slowly rose from the stool but sat down soon after, beginning to laugh without a specific reason...Or better, this was the impression of Wilson when he entered the apartment.

For the record, he went there because after the Rimadyl situation he didn't trust his friend that much; while the unofficial version was that he went there because he knew that Cameron's departure had unsettled him.

_# # # # # Three months ago # # # # #_

Wilson entered House's office quickly as the diagnostician was staring out the window. Sitting in his chair, the red ball dropped to the ground, the oncologist took a deep breath because he needed him to listen without fussing.

"So, before you interrupt me with some sarcastic joke about my love life or the number of my relationships, I want you to know that I like this one a lot, so I'd like a little friendly understanding on your part, considering that: I had it when you decided to be with Stacy, when she left, when you forged my signature, when you came to upset me in my hotel room, for the Rimadyl and for the post Rimadyl situation. So, having said that, I need you to replace me tomorrow night at the Clinic because I have to go out and I won't take no for an answer".

"Ok...".

Wilson was ready to argue again when he stopped, thinking of his answer "Are you serious?".

"Yes, I'll send Chase".

Wilson was truly astonished, not because of Chase, obviously..."Well, thank you".

"Whatever. So, the chick of the bathroom was good" he smirked absently.

"She has a name, you know?" Wilson said annoyed.

"Yes, but it's not me the one that have to shower with her, so I don't care of her name".

The oncologist studied the slow gestures of House and stood in front of him "Is everything ok?".

"Cameron is going to New York".

Wilson stared at him puzzled, his mouth open for a moment, then he shook his head "But you told me that Cuddy...".

"She changed her mind".

"What are you going to do?".

The diagnostician looked innocent "Me? I just have to bring some papers to Cuddy and then I'm done".

"Are you going to let her go?".

House smiled sideways, almost irritated by that question "Why? Should I go to the runway, imitating Kevin Kostner, and drag her away? !".

Wilson looked at him in astonishment "Who went to dinner with her, after years of zero relationships with the opposite sex, to make sure that she didn't go away? !".

"The last time there was no reason for her to go!".

"And now there is instead? !".

House remained in silence for a few moments, frowning soon after.

"Hey, you kissed her! And you're going to let her go like that? !".

"Well, I let her go to Africa after having kissed her".

"But this time she won't come back!".

He seemed almost burned from that sentence and he stood up with some papers in hand "Since I'm helping you with your relationship with the little mermaid, can you do me a favor?".

"Her name is...".

"I don't care, I told you! Good, now, give this to the proper authorities".

Wilson took the envelope he was handing him "Why don't you care? You love looking into people's lives, you'd have been great as a detective!".

"Will you take this envelope or not?".

The oncologist took it against his will while House walked away toward the door.

There was something written above:

_X Keaton_

Wilson grabbed House by the arm "Wait, wait, what is this?".

"I always honor my bets, you should know, I'll pay you tomorrow".

"I also know that you hate to be not right, and when it comes to betting, you always find your way to win".

House didn't answer him, disappearing into the elevator.

Wilson stood there a moment.

"Dr. Wilson".

Wilson turned and saw Keaton chewing his licorice "Here" and he handed him the envelope almost unnerved, he hated his smirk, maybe because it was the same of House when the_ 'I told you so'_ was imminent. He was almost certain that he'd not have seen it on the face of his friend for a while...

The surgeon opened the envelope as Wilson tried to take a look too.

In addition to the $500, he noticed something else:

_I haven't cheated._

"I had no doubt..." Keaton put the envelope in his pocket, smiling at Wilson who looked at him sideways "Dr. Wilson, have a good evening".

"...You too".

_###_

He tried to drive away the desire that he had had to beat Keaton, even If he was almost certain he hadn't any fault. He sighed deeply, trying to be calm "Laughing gas?".

"Opium" and House closed the situation with sarcasm. He stood up, rubbing his face, while the oncologist walked in smiling, waving two bags.

"Greek tonight!".

House glared at his friend, who stood with the same expression of Wile E. Coyote before the rock crumbles beneath him.

"What?".

"Nothing...Great idea..." he went slowly to the kitchen, followed by his friend. He snatched the bags from Wilson's hands, putting the contents in a couple of dishes.

"Wow, we really want to eat at the table?" Wilson asked, astonished.

"No...I hate to be innovative..." and he moved to the couch.

"If I was Robert Chase..." Wilson sat down beside his friend.

"And so with Helen is over".

Wilson looked at him shocked as House turned on the TV "Who the hell told you her name? !".

Here was the _'I told you so'_ smile...It took it three months to come back...

"On the other hand, you two had long odds to work. She was a divorced teacher...".

"How...How the hell did you do that?".

"Look, there's _Ocean's Eleven_ on TV, you do not feel a bit like Andy Garcia since Helen is back with her ex? But, after all, you are not Clooney...".

The oncologist stared at him with one hand under his chin "Were you intercepting my phone calls?".

"Yes, there is a hatch under the piano. I'm better than the CIA".

"You scare me from time to time".

"Very good, it's my mission".

* * *

><p>Wilson woke up on House's couch around midnight, noting House flipping through the Yellow Pages.<p>

"Don't you feel lonely at this time of night?".

"I cannot find the 'on-call girl at home' number in the phone book".

Wilson peered but House closed the book immediately. The oncologist saw only the letter _H_ at the top of the page.

"Ok, I'm going home" and Wilson walked to the door while his friend walked to the bedroom.

"Ah, Jimmy?".

Wilson turned, picking up his briefcase near the door "What?".

"I'm sorry for the little mermaid" and House disappeared into the bedroom.

Wilson shook his head, smiling. And this was Gregory House.

_TBC..._


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter 57**

"The patient is Joseph Cooper, 78 years old, he has to undergo a double baipass surgery this week. Surgery asked us for a consult because there were complications in the previous surgery" Jerrins reported.

"I see" Cameron said and walked toward the patient's room with her three assistants, and that thought made her laugh a bit. The therapy on Alan was going well, and since she was there and she had to stay until next Friday, she decided to take another couple of consults. She opened the door of the room where the curtains were pulled, but she recognized _that_ unmistakable voice...

"Yes, in the old North Korea. Four years".

"Incredible! And which was the rank of your father?" Joseph Cooper asked.

"Lieutenant".

Cameron pulled back the curtain and came face to face with House eating a lollipop and smirking.

"Oh God" Cooper snorted.

"Hello Red Cross Nurse, If your patients are all funny like him, I think I'm going to enjoy this week!".

"Andrews, go get security" Cameron ordered.

The blonde doctor turned toward the exit.

"Don't bother, Barbie, Tim and I were done talking".

"The doctor, here, told me that you don't need to do a real surgery. Is he right?" Cooper asked.

Cameron glared at him while he sucked on his lollipop.

"But of course, Joseph, a shunt and everything will be fine" House said.

"It's not up to Dr. House to decide, Mr. Cooper " she looked at him "He cannot decide for the others".

House turned to the patient "Have you noticed the hint of resentment in her voice?".

"Oh yeah" Cooper nodded.

Cameron glared at House's smirk "Can I talk to you for a second?".

House stood up satisfied as she walked out of the room.

"It was time" House said.

Cameron rolled her eyes, resigned, and turned to him when they were outside "What the hell are you doing? !".

"Hey, relax, you were the one who wanted to talk".

She gaped, unable to understand how he could be so unbearable "Let-Me-Work-In-Peace!" and she turned toward the patient's room.

"And what about that coffee?" he asked her.

But she entered, shutting the door.

* * *

><p>Cameron had divided all the consults between her three interns so she could have more chances to avoid House. She took the folder of her last patient of the morning: Lily, four years old, nothing special, just a pneumonia.<p>

"How old are you again?".

"LIKE THIS! No, no...LIKE THIS!".

"Hmm, and where are your Mom and Dad?".

"House? !" Cameron asked angrily.

House and the little girl turned to the door.

"I told you that she doesn't appreciate anything I do!" House whined.

Cameron went to them smiling nervously, trying to ignore him.

"Ally! He puts band aids tooooo!" Lily said.

"No, Lily, see, he orders other people to put band-aids. It's different".

House grimaced, amused.

"Your hospital is fifteen blocks away, right?" Cameron asked.

"What, The Surgeon can fly down from New York and I can't ride around with my bike?".

She glared at him.

"A real bike? Big big?" Lily asked.

"No. I have a small model that I like to carry around in my pocket. I'll show you!" House reached into his pocket, pulling out a little red ball that, after a few hand-tricks, disappeared and reappeared in his hands.

Lily grinned, unlike Cameron who had the desire to hit him with something...like that pan nearby ...

"Can I have it, pease?" Lily asked sweetly.

"How the hell do you talk? Don't you know the existence of the L in the dictionary, right after the I and before the M?".

Lily continued to stare at the ball in his left hand, batting her eyelashes and looking at him a couple of times "Can I have it, pease?".

"No, it's mine".

"House? !" Cameron exclaimed.

"What, now you and I are talking again? Thought you had nothing to say to me".

Cameron closed her eyes, repressing the desire to hurt him "Why don't you go annoying Chase and Foreman?".

"Nah, maybe later, I see them everyday, you are the guest star of the week!".

In that moment, appeared a strange smile on Cameron's lips while Lily tried to steal the ball from House, unsuccessfully of course.

"Keep dreaming, brunette" House said to the little girl.

"Actually, I can understand you. For someone like you...just doing clinic every single day".

House grinned "I still wonder why, apart from fooling around with him, you didn't marry the poor kangaroo".

"You have a kango! ?" Lily started jumping on the bed while Cameron smiled. The diagnostician relaxed, even If not directly, he had provoked that smile and that thought made him feel good. But she noticed it and turned incredibly serious in the blink of an eye.

"How is to be relegated to simple paramedic?" she asked.

House took the blow while she smiled innocently, but If she wanted to hurt, he was the best in that field.

"What, won't you read her the story of Jim Button?" he grinned.

Cameron froze in less than a second while he appeared unfazed.

"Out of here. Now" nothing transpired from her tone If not a faint tremor.

He stood with his head down, going out.

"Bye bye!" Lily yelled.

House felt her pushing him in a corner when he was about to take the elevator.

"Don't you dare to do such a thing again! Am I clear? !" Cameron murmured angrily. She was a few inches from him and now, looking at her like that, he remembered all her nuances, that green of her eyes that he was beginning to forget. He smiled.

"What's so funny?" Cameron asked, confused.

"I'm leaving..." House announced and extricated himself from her grip, heading for the elevator.

"I thought that not even you could be so inhuman...".

He wasn't sure why but that sentence unnerved him. Going against all his normal and habitual behavior in such a situation, he flung himself on her and blocked her against the wall with his hands. She tried to escape and it was then that House made a big mistake, he put a hand on her arm to still her.

"Listen to me" he was an inch from her ear, she could practically feel his beard against her cheek "Do you think you have the right to judge me for what happened? Well, you have not! You don't know me, you know nothing about me, so stop it" he turned away from her, calling the elevator.

"You're right, I know anything about you except that you're a coward, unable even to kiss a person".

House spun around as she walked into Lily's room.

TBC...


	58. Chapter 58

_Well, thanks to all the new readers of this fic =)_

**Chapter 58**

"You give me the game?".

"No, first you LEARN how to ask a question and then we'll talk about it, pretty face" House was on a chair beside Lily's bed, the argument of the previous day had not demoralized him a bit.

" But I want play!" Lily whined.

"Please, try again, ray of sunshine" House mocked her.

Lily frowned and put her hands on the bed while House played with the '_Operation_' board game.

"Come oooooon! Is mine!".

"It's not, it's of the the Pediatric Department. If you can say '_rhododendron_', then we could find a deal".

She looked at him, tilting her head "The game?".

The diagnostician smirked while he pulled out the femur of the patient "When I can dance the_ Dying Swan_".

"You bad!".

He looked at her as she pouted with arms crossed.

"N.O." House said and then he heard a noise outside and turned to the door immediately.

Lily laughed, amused "You want Lalli!".

"No, my mom is coming to visit me".

She looked at him, fascinated "Yeah?".

He looked at her "Yep. And the groundhog that manufactures chocolate is coming too".

She looked at him not understanding what he meant.

"God, why you young people never understand sarcasm..." he snorted.

"You strange. So strange".

"But look who's talking! Pneumonia gone? Are you going back to your playmates?".

Lily nodded, amused "To the orphan".

"Orphanage, not orphan. I hate abbreviations" he rolled his eyes.

"What your name?".

House shook his head, annoyed _"'What'S your name'_ in case".

"Lily!".

"Ok, forget about it" he rolled his eyes.

She grew impatient, approaching him, but he pulled the game towards him.

"Ugh! Pleeeeease!".

"Do you want me to tell you fairy tales? Sorry, I do not know. But your doctor is good".

Lily smiled, ignoring the game "She told me you can't stay here. Why you here?".

"I'm plagiarizing your doctor".

"...What?".

He grimaced "Let's see...How can I explain it... Oh yes, I'm convincing your doctor to believe that it's her idea to talk to me".

She looked at him shocked "Lies are bad!".

"Even saying _glans_ instead of _gland_ is also bad sometimes".

"Miss Minch say we don't have to say them".

House continued to play on his own "Yeah, I know...".

"And then we play ball, and we aaaaal play together".

Abandoning the heart of the '_patient_', he looked up at her "When I was in kindergarten my teacher never let me play ball".

Lily looked at him disappointed "Why?".

"Because the other children were always in my path..." he smirked.

"We had no doubt about it".

House and Lily looked up at Cameron standing in the doorway.

"How long have you been there?" House asked.

"Long enough to hear about your plan to brainwash me".

"Shit..." House cursed.

Lily laughed, amused "He say the S word!".

"I know also the ones with the p,the f...Do you want to hear them?".

"Yes!".

"No! House, out!".

"And why should I?".

"Apart from the fact that you have no reason to stay here, I also need to auscultate her. So, bye".

He stayed on the chair "I have seen breasts more prosperous. And again, I'm a doctor too".

She glared at him "Go. Away.".

House turned to Lily "If you ask her to let me stay, I'll let you play with me".

"He stay?" she said, throwing her arms around Cameron.

Cameron glared at him as he took a couple of Vicodin.

"Are you not ashamed to use a four year old for your little games?".

"Absolutely not!".

"And Lalli play too!" Lily exclaimed.

"No!" House answered.

"Then, out!" Lily ordered.

Cameron chuckled while she auscultated Lily's lungs.

Lily stared at House seriously and he snorted, putting the game on the bed.

* * *

><p>Half an hour later, there was a resounding advantage of the female side of the room.<p>

"You loooooose" Lily said.

Cameron was sitting on the bed with Lily on her knees "Thank God you're not a surgeon...".

"Are you planning to distract me? We're talking about poor Danny's life here! A little respect!".

Cameron shook her head as House made a bad move and the game beeped.

"Time of death: 2:55 pm. Will you give the news to the family?" he smirked.

"Very funny".

"Again!" Lily said.

"No, you have to sleep and he has to go".

House put on his jacket "It was a pleasure to play with you, ray of sunshine".

Cameron glared at him "She's not Cuddy".

"If you stay, I let you win" Lily tried again.

House looked at her offended "No way!" and he left the room taking a lollipop from his pocket.

Cameron approached him in front of the elevators "How is it possible that you've been for an hour with a sick little girl without ulterior motives. It's not your thing, House".

"Of course it is, considering that to avoid Clinic I'd do this and more, for example, throwing my pager in the toilet. And then I've never said that I don't have ulterior motives".

He came out from the lift, walking towards the exit doors.

"And now you're going away?" she called him.

He turned to her and smiled "Shift is over, my couch is more comfortable than those chairs. And then, you still don't want to talk to me" he turned again to the exit, satisfied.

"We're talking right now".

He turned to look at her at the nurses' counter, reading some file.

"Since we are talking again, what about New York?".

She smiled, walking away "Good evening, House".

"I knew it..." he smirked and walked away.

* * *

><p>"You have to sign these too, doctor" a nurse said to Cameron.<p>

She signed hurriedly the last things at the reception, already with the car keys in hand "All done. Goodbye and good evening" she said with a smile.

"Thanks. You too" the nurse smiled.

She exited putting her jacket inside her bag. She walked quickly through the garden that preceded the parking lot and then stopped abruptly, noting an orange bike on the sidewalk near the wall that surrounded the park. She went closer quickly, noting House lying on a bench, eyes closed, hand on the leg, a not so very serene expression on his face.

"House?".

He sat up immediately, opening his eyes. She looked at him worried and surprised.

"You haven't been here since you left two hours ago, right?".

He accompanied his bad leg down from the bench, sitting down and rubbing his face "Of course not...".

She stood in front of him, still with his hands on his face, yawning "Are you okay?".

"It's just a headache".

"Oh yeah, because you get too tired playing '_Operation_'" she mocked him.

House looked up at her and smiled "The bike doesn't work and I dozed off".

"I'm not Cuddy, you don't have to justify yourself".

He fell back against the bench "Thank goodness".

"Although saying immediately how things are would be much easier".

He smiled for a moment "Are we talking again?".

Cameron reached into her purse looking for something.

"If it's pepper spray, it doesn't matter. I'm leaving" he said immediately.

She handed him an envelope with his name on it.

"I remember your handwriting much less masculine".

She smiled nervously "Take it".

He grabbed the envelope having care not to touch her hand but still looking at her. She looked away and he smiled, opening the envelope.

"Good...".

She turned to him as he slipped something in his pocket, holding the envelope in his hand.

"What did he say?".

He rose from the bench "Things between the boys, you wouldn't understand...".

"Why?".

He stopped in front of the bike, turning to her "Can I ask you a question?".

She folded her arms across her chest as If to defend herself "Can I read it?".

He handed her the envelope and she was careful careful not to touch his hand too.

_'I did. It didn't work._  
><em>D.K.'<em>

She frowned without understanding.

"I told you you wouldn't have understood".

She gave the envelope back, those exchanges were becoming increasingly risky.

"So, your question?" she said.

He withdrew his hand quickly "...Why in the beginning...Yeah, I mean, before it happened what happened...Why did you decide to stay here?".

Cameron smiled sadly, standing up and walking to her car "Because I thought stupidly and naively that you needed my help...But as it turned out, once again, I was wrong about you. You don't need anyone".

House was thoughtful for a moment, staring at his bike "I see...".

Cameron shook her head, smiling and getting in her car.

_TBC..._


	59. Chapter 59

**Chapter 59**

"God, how depressing is this fridge?...What's in there?" House was in front of the fridge, inspecting everything inside. The kitchen was illuminated only by the light that came out from it.

"Who's there? ! I'm warning you, I've a baseball bat here and I'm not afraid to use it!".

"Good, for the first time in five years at least on that front we will be on equal terms" House answered.

The kitchen was illuminated now by...the apartment's owner.

"House! ? I could have hit you! ?" Wilson said, gaping.

"Well, after four years I don't think you'll ever be able to do it".

"I didn't know it was you! ?" Wilson kept crying out, still paniking.

"Good point".

'The intruder' stood up from his position in front of the fridge holding a plate of roast beef, smiling at his friend.

Wilson was standing in front of the door, shocked: pajama pants, shirt, bed-hair, baseball bat.

"But If I was a real thief, what'd you have done? Warn me first? Great choice, so I'd have pulled out a gun and killed you" House observed.

"Next time I'll hit you indiscriminately even If you warn me first, ok? !" Wilson stood before him and took the plate from his hands.

"Hey? ! What about_ feeding the hungry_? You're Christian!".

"I'm Jew, I don't believe in the Gospel!" Wilson returned to the living room while House took another plate and followed him.

"So you can't swear on the Bible and lie?" House asked.

"No!".

"Shit...".

Wilson turned and opened the front door, looking at his friend slouched in his chair "Out!".

"I'm hungry".

Wilson went to him that was drinking a beer now "It's past midnight, you can't eat at seven like normal people do? !" Wilson took his plate again, keeping it out of his reach.

"Hey! ? I'm still hungry!".

Wilson sat down, rubbing his temples and breathing deeply.

"You're hyperventilating because of me?" House asked.

Wilson looked up suddenly "How the hell did you get in? ! The door was locked! And the kitchen's too!".

"Not anymore...".

The oncologist stood up with the plate in hand and went to the kitchen.

"Oh come on! Seriously, I'm hungry!".

"And I'm tired, that's why I was in bed!" Wilson returned to the living room where House was still drinking.

"Well, of course. I mean, no longer having the teacher with you, what else you could do?" House smirked.

"So, how are you? How is the phase _"I've tried all the painkillers on the market for pets without prescriptions and now I have my stomach in pieces"_ going?" Wilson remarked and sat down resigned while House was sipping his beer.

"Well, you know, better than the phase _"Why don't we falsify Wilson's signature?"_. I'm hungry".

"You can find forty takeaways on the road between the hospital and your home!".

"But no one has your roast beef...".

"It's midnight! I was in bed!".

House put his legs on the coffee table but Wilson moved it away immediately.

"You were just sleeping".

"Well, I see that even when I'm sleeping you torture me!".

They looked at each other in silence for a few minutes.

"I'm hungry" House repeated.

Wilson stood up in exasperation "God! You're worse than a worm! You keep exasperating people! You starve!" Wilson almost shouted and headed for the hallway intent to go to bed, turning off the lights in the living room, leaving House in the dark.

House put his legs on the table again, drinking his beer "Did I tell you that Cameron has been back in Princeton since yesterday?" he said causally and stopped, on alert to listen to him. He heard the slamming of a door, the light came on in the living room again. Wilson went to him quickly...with the plate of roast beef in hand.

House smirked, grabbing it satisfied "Curiosity is your second name, James".

Wilson sat beside him, staring "And?".

"And what?".

"Cameron is in Princeton. And...?" Wilson pressed.

House left the plate on the table "Ahhh, you mean that kind of '_and_'" he said while lying on the the chair and turning on the TV. Wilson looked at him stunned.

"House? !".

"Yeah, she's at the Saint Mary to treat one of my former patient".

"And how do you know it?".

He stopped his zapping, turning off the TV and focusing on his friend "Now I'll tell you one thing, I don't need any of your comments, I just need to talk with someone that is not my piano or my alter ego '_Hugh the schizophrenic_'. Try to be like Chase, be condescending. Ok?".

Wilson settled down on the couch, crossing his legs "Go ahead, I'm ready".

"Ok, I saw her at the Saint Mary and went to talk to her but she has proven to be a bit _hostile_".

"Really?" Wilson said sarcastically.

House glared at him.

"Sorry, keep going".

"Tonight I asked her why she had decided to stay before happening what happened".

"And what happened?".

"You know you're a very bad Chase? !".

Wilson raised his arms in surrender.

"Thank you. Anyway, I asked her and she said that she had believed that I needed her help. And I didn't answer".

They stood in silence, looking at each other.

"And say something!" House said.

"Oh sorry, I didn't realize I could speak. Am I allowed now?".

"Very funny".

"You should first apologize for everything, whatever is the thing in question and then...Did you want to answer her?".

"...Maybe. But I looked for her at her apartment but I didn't find her there".

"Well, maybe since she's moved to another state she sold her apartment here?".

"Do you have a slight idea of ?how many hotels there are in Princeton?".

"No, and I don't even care".

House sighed in resignation, Wilson got up from the couch taking the plate.

"Now, I understand that since you practically works part-time at the hospital, you don't have problems doing the small hours, but I still have a department to run. So, now I'm going to the kitchen to put the plate down and when I come back, you won't be here" Wilson went away, leaving him staring into space as he put the plate in the dishwasher. He heard the front door close and looked up at the ceiling.

"Thank you, thank you very much..." Wilson whispered as a prayer.

He started to walk to his room.

"Do you have some cookies?" House asked, opening the front door again.

Wilson picked up a ball from a shelf, throwing it at him and hitting the front door, shielding his friend.

_TBC..._


	60. Chapter 60

_Thanks for the alerts :)_

**Chapter 60**

Cameron stood up reluctantly from her soft bed, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

It was two in the morning...

The hotel lobby had called her, saying that a guest was ill and they needed a doctor. She hadn't gotten the rest clearly. She pulled on her sweatpants, 'cause get down with only her panties and tank top on didn't seem a good idea even at two in the morning.

She stepped out of the elevator, yawning while fixing her ponytail.

"You're right, it's so...".

She looked up, not very sure If she had recognized that voice for real.

House stood in front of her with his usual sneakers, a pair of striped pajama pants which she already know... and his leather jacket. She wanted to say something like '_What the heck are you doing here, you idiotic psychopath?!'_, but at two in the morning she was too tired to think.

"What?".

"I mean, it's so".

She blinked uncomprehendingly, but putting two and two together then: the phone call from the lobby, he in front of her...

"You're out of your mind! Are you crazy? ! Do you know what time is it? !".

He hesitated a moment as she turned around annoyed, walking towards the elevator but he grabbed her by the arm. She turned around, managing to make him remove his hand just with her glare.

His eyes wandered around while she kept staring at him "It's for what you said to me today..." there was a pause that seemed to last hours "If I tell you that you're right to think that way?".

"I'd say that it's a bit late to feel guilty" and she quickly moved away from there.

"I know...But the fact is that...".

"What House? ! What? ! You can't sleep at night? You walk around your apartment without a goal? !".

He stared at her dumbfounded, unable to say anything. The elevator's doors opened.

"Well, welcome to the club".

He rushed inside as the doors were closing. Cameron stared at the keyboard for not having to look at him.

"You...You're right...You have every right to be angry, for this and for...".

"I do not _need_ your permission!".

"Right...".

They remained silent, he with his head down and tormenting his cane, she staring in front of her. He stood in the front her but she stepped back quickly, unwilling to have any contact with him.

"If you could...".

"No!".

He looked at her stunned without understanding "Cameron, give me a chance...Let me talk...Otherwise how do I can...".

"I won't forgive you for what you've done!".

The doors opened and she stepped out, but she felt him taking her by the hand...Skin to skin...

"I don't like myself, I don't like what I am, I've never liked me...Not even a second in these past five years..." he sighed, his head down, looking at her back "Three months ago I hit rock bottom...".

Cameron stared straight ahead almost painting, he released her hand. She came into her room, closing the door behind her. She stared at the geometric pattern of the wallpaper...

_...Three months ago..._

"What?".

"Go away..." he said automatically.

She was bewildered, looking at him, mouth half open.

_'He isn't saying...'._

Hands on the mattress. She sat up incredoulous "What?".

"Go away...".

She couldn't breath, why he wasn't looking at her?

"Look at me...".

"Go away...".

He limped away towards the bathroom door, she jumped up and almost ran to stop him, grabbing him by the arm.

"Look at me!".

"I said get out!".

She lost her balance while the door where he had fled closed suddenly. She remained motionless for a few minutes, trying to catch her breath, to resume conception of what had just happened...She felt humiliated, she felt dirty, she felt cold.

She picked up her shirt and the sweater next to the bed, the coat in the hall, she put everything on and went out quickly.

_..._

Then it was all a bit fuzzy and blurred by tears, she remembered she had gotten home, lied on the bed, thrown up for a while, felt empty until the plane had landed in New York.

She rubbed the tears on her cheeks and opened the door.

House was waiting for the elevator, she almost ran to him.

"It's not enough".

He turned to her, his cheeks as red as when you run in the winter morning.

"It's not enough, tell me why you did it".

The fact that it was not a question put him in crisis "I don't... It's better for me to go".

This time she stopped him "Tell me" there was no anger in her voice.

He sighed pulling awa his hand "I hadn't expected that...".

"What?".

"That you kissed me...".

She was surprised, mouth open "Why?".

"The fact is that you made everything real".

"Ok, maybe it's better that you take that lift right now".

House rubbed his hair, snorting "No...Wait, the point is that it's not your fault".

Cameron's eyes widened, shocked by his words "You're not improving your situation".

He squeezed, If it was even possible, even stronger his cane "I shouldn't have taken revenge on you..." he lost his breath for a moment, looked up from the carpet, twisting his mouth, smiling nervously, looking down again, tapping his cane "The point is that I did...I always do, I don't think it will comfort you to know you're not the first person I disappoint and humiliate...I do it everytime" he raised his eyes again, meeting hers just a little more serene than before.

He even saw a hint of a smile "I'm sor-".

"Thank you" she turned to her room without looking back, he was still in front of the elevator.

"So, now do you hate me again or not?.

She smiled and kept walking "Yes, House, I hate you again".

The diagnostician grinned satisfied "Good".

She waved and closed the door behind her.

_TBC..._


	61. Chapter 61

**CHAPTER 61**

"No, not today, for Friday...Yes, exactly" Cameron was arranging some clothes in her suitcase while talked on the phone, moving around the room "What? Are you telling me that you don't know when there will be another flight? It's simple: morning or afternoon?" she rolled her eyes resigned as she listened "Ok, yeah, let me know. I understand...Goodbye to you too".

She closed the conversation, throwing the phone on the bed. She stood in front of the mirror and fixed her hair, took her iPod and left the room.

She had run for about twenty minutes through the park when the doubt of last night became a certainty...She suddenly stopped, took off her headphones and came back a couple of meters "Do you know that I could report you for stalking?".

"I'm just enjoying some fresh air on a spring evening".

"Yeah, and I'm a natural blonde...".

"So you lied to me three years ago!".

She smiled, looking at House sitting on a bench swinging the cane from his right to left hand. She put her hands on her hips, catching her breath "So, last night, that guy on a bike identical to yours in the parking lot of the hospital wasn't you?".

He smiled, amused, lying unashamedly "You're paranoid, of course not. Anyway, since when do you go jogging?".

She smiled, breathing deeply "I hate flying, and on Friday I've a plane to take. Today is Wednesday, so If I start to run half an hour per evening starting today, I've a good chance to sleep for the whole trip".

He twisted his mouth thoughtfully "You're right..But If you won't go to New York, the problem doesn't exist, right?".

She turned serious "Don't do it...".

He pretended not to understand "Don't do what?".

"Trying to convince me to stay".

"Why not?".

"I don't want to...".

"Ok...".

They fell silent again. He snorted a couple of times while she looked around. He rose from the bench, throwing a smirk to her.

"Come, I'm going to let you try a thing. I don't want you to have any regrets this time..." and he started to walk away. She stood pleasantly surprised. When he realized that she wasn't following, he turned back.

"Do you need a written invitation?".

"You were kidding, right?".

He looked at her "Absolutely not, why should I?".

Her eyes widened even more incredulous. House smiled in a different way.

"You women today are too naughty. Come on, I want to offer you a thing...".

Cameron walked with him at a safe distance while continuing to stare at him curiously. He noticed.

"What is it? Have you forgotten how incredibly beautiful it is or it's again that lipstick stain on the collar of my shirt?".

She smiled amused regardless of where he was taking her "No, it's that you have a beard longer than usual...".

He ran a hand over his beard thoughtfully "It's not true. Ok. Wait for me there. Just a minute" House pointed to a bench a little away.

"I'd be faster".

"Ah! Funny. Anyway no, because If you see it then you'll cry. Come on, I'll be back".

Cameron watched him smiling and sat down on the bench, watching people passing by, the illuminated park. She looked up to the sky, watching the stars that shone...When her vision was blurred...By a hot dog.

"It's a joke?".

"No, it's a hot dog" he gave her one and sat down next to her, who looked at him aghast.

"Are you aware of the fact that New York is full of hot dogs?".

He smiled with his head down "Hot dogs like many other things. It doesn't matter the quantity, but the quality".

She glared at him, shook her head and started to eat the hot dog. But House stopped her.

"What are you doing?".

He handed her his "Take this, the idiot has put the pickles in".

Cameron took it with a smile "What have you against pickles?".

House was eating quietly, speaking at the same time "Nothing, but my grandma put them everywhere and forced me to eat them. Did they ever blackmailed you to sit at the table until you finished everything?".

"No, I ate all my vegetables".

"Of course...".

She laughed amused, leaning forward.

"What?".

"I had a Cocker who sat under my chair at lunch and dinner every single time...".

He twisted his mouth "Fascinating...So, objectively speaking, the best hot dogs are in New York or in Princeton?".

_'I'm in your game, House'._

"Well...This is good...But I ate some in New York a couple of times, really good".

He turned serious, grimacing "Well, just because you haven't given me the occasion, but there is better than this one. And I'm sure that is better than the one in New York".

Cameron laughed, unable to be serious in that _kind_ of conversation.

"And now what's so funny? If you let me take you to Chack on Dan Road, you'd understand what I mean".

"Yeah, sure, to Chack. And this _Chack_ is close to your house?".

House raised an eyebrow curiously, a strange grin appeared soon after "Ok, you're a perv. I'd never think you'd be like that. But now it explains why you declined the invitation for coffee but not the one for the hot dogs...".

Cameron looked at him in astonishment "But I didn't even know that you wanted to offer me a hot dog!".

"...They all say so in the beginning".

She stared at him, shaking her head in resignation. He was inexplicably at ease.

"And so as a child you had your dog to avoid to get fat and now you run?" House asked.

She sighed, hoping that the conversation had returned to normal "In fact".

"Of course, as a doctor, you should know that there are better ways to burn calories...If not more, more fun...".

Cameron stood resigned "Ok, just you and me, we are not having this conversation".

He looked at her innocently "What conversation?".

She laughed almost hysterically "_This_ conversation made of double entenders!".

He huffed, getting up from the bench "Oh Lord, you're starting to worry me seriously. Mine was just a normal, healthy conversation about food".

She pointed her hands on her hips, glaring "Well, If it's so let me drink this coffee at your home. Since we're _only_ talking".

He nodded seriously "In fact, so I can finally finish this conversation about food without you trying to undress me".

"You wish!".

House walked slowly "My bike is here".

"My car is over there".

He turned to her as she was walking in the opposite direction "Come on, with the bike we'll be faster".

"I'm not in a hurry" she moved away, taking the keys from the pocket of her pants.

"I'll be the first!".

* * *

><p>House was standing in front of his door when he saw her on the sidewalk.<p>

"I told you that I'd be the first!".

She joined him smiling "I went to get donuts since you weren't arriving".

He rolled his eyes, opening the door. He turned on the lights and threw the jacket on the couch "I hope you've also got the coffee".

Cameron stood behind him puzzled "What do you mean? You told me to come and drink a coffe here!".

House limped towards the kitchen, taking her donuts "It was you who wanted to come here, I've never said _'Let's go to my house so that I can offer you a cup of coffee'_. I just said _'Let's take a coffee?'_. Which is very different".

She looked at him in disbelief, then turned serious "Ok, do you have a coffee machine here?".

He thought about it looking at the ceiling "Yeah, I have one".

"Good, problem solved" she sat down on the couch, that same couch that looked like the magazine rack.

"But I cannot offer you coffee here".

She was more and more astonished "And why not?".

"'Cause it's broken. It's been three years now...".

Cameron looked at him in shock "How the heck have you done without coffe for three years? !".

House smirked at the question "Up to three months ago I didn't set myself the question...".

She remained motionless on the couch with her mouth open, she closed it when she saw his smile.

Now the tension could be cut with a knife, they realized, unable to look at each other.

_'Bravo, you're a genius! Excellent output...'._

_'Why am I here? Why am I here? Why am I here?'._

House opened his mouth to say something when the phone rang.

_'Thank God!'._

_'Luckily...'._

"I'll be back" and he walked away leaving her there.

She began to look around, avoiding to connect anything to _that_ evening. She got up from the couch walking towards the piano, observing the various scores, the backpack abandoned on it, some CDs, an empty bottle of what she hoped was codeine, a T-shirt...Cameron shook her head, not thinking about the reason why it could be on a piano.

She walked towards the kitchen, hearing him talking from the bedroom, the light was on. She stopped in the doorway and looked around. Noting that it was definitely not the room in which he spent a lot of time.

If the living room was a mess, there there was the apocalypse. She moved away from the jamb, making a nearby stack of magazines to collaps.

_'What better place!'._

"Shit...".

She knelt down to pick them up, putting the magazines where they were before, noting, in addition to the powder, a big blue book. She stood, resting it on top of the stack that reached her navel. She noticed the word '_Photo_' on the cover. In fact, there were not so many pictures around...She lifted the cover, intrigued...

"I wouldn't do it If I were you...".

Cameron turned abruptly toward him that was closer than she had expected. She stepped back to avoid to fall upon him, but fell against the stack of magazines that she had just collected. She lost her balance so that she was about to fall to the ground and to avoid it, she grabbed the first thing at hand...

...House.

...Or better, his right arm, which led to a loss of balance for him too due to the lack of the cane.

So Cameron ended up against the kitchen counter, pulling him with her...House was visibly uncomfortable in the kitchen, those five seconds seemed to go in slow motion, perhaps because they both thanked the lack of precision in that apartment, the phone call, the fact that the kitchen door was so narrow, the fact that to lose his balance was as easy as to knock down some pins.

She smiled at the thought. He didn't understand, frowning and twisting his mouth.

_'God...'._

That expression...He had always found it incredibly sexy.

He took possession of her mouth, sliding her hair between his fingers. He felt another shiver over his body, the first when he had collided with her, kissing her soft lips.

He was lost for a moment, just one. The hands rest on her hips and his mouth began to look for her skin with more intensity. With his tongue he gently licked her lips, tasting them. He bit gently on her lower lip, forcing her to open her mouth, sliding his tongue inside. His body was eager for her...She drove him crazy...

He hugged her, feeling an overwhelming desire to possess her. He pushed her inside the kitchen, pressing his hands on her hips.

She was holding his face in her hands, stroking from his hair to his beard, regardless of where he was taking her.

He pushed her toward the table while his hands sought the buttons of her shirt...That were not there since she had here tracksuit on...

Ha abandoned the cane nearby, sliding again his hands at her sides. He held her firmly in his hands, putting her down on the table behind her. He continued to kiss her slowly, driven by the movement of her insecure tongue in his mouth...So insecure and terribly sensual.

He pulled away slowly from those rosy lips, gently stroking her hair.

She pushed him to her, crossing her legs behind him. He finally found the zip of her sweatshirt, that went down on the table between the caresses he reserved to her arms.

She slightly pulled away from his lips, savoring his scent strong and intense that only he could have. She slid down his neck, following the shadow of a vein with her lips, gently.

House felt the stinging of her hair on his jaw, her nose tracing the path traced from her lips, while he lazily stroked her side with one hand, descending and ascending slowly but pressing with his fingertips against her skin to follow each projection and each recess of her body.

A sigh came from Cameron's lips, who began to unbutton one by one the buttons of his shirt to fondle his sculpted abs. She had to touch his body, continuing with her tongue to study his neck. He, ecstatic, abandoned his head back, letting out a sigh. He opened his eyes suddenly when he felt her lips close to his ear, pretty sure she was smiling.

"I don't think I'm the first to tell you, but these shirts are really unbearable..." she almost blew in his ear while she took off his shirt.

He smiled, raising his hands under her tank top "To tell the truth, you're the first..." he slipped his fingers through her hair still up, pulling her to him. She stopped him and after pulling him to her height, she took possession of his lips. A sweet kiss, fresh, passionate and merciless all together. A kiss outside the box.

He approached her further, brushing her cheek with his lips. He moved her away from him quickly, taking her t-shirt off...Along with his t-shirt with the Doors logo.

Cameron looked at him and smiled, kissing him on the lips again a moment after, then on the neck, tasting his shoulders. She began to draw curved lines with her fingers on his chest.

He closed his eyes and gave himself up to that time. He tried to concentrate on her neck, kissing it.

She let him kiss her like that as he stroked with exasperating and studied slowness the hollow of her back. His hands came cleverly to the hook of her bra, which disappeared on her knees. Her bare chest pressed against his bare chest.

It was an indescribable feeling. To feel the warm and bare skin under their hands.

They shivered strongly.

Cameron dropped her head on his shoulder.

_TBC..._


End file.
